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Many Purview Image users have questions about DICOM images, including:  

• Can DICOM files be compressed?
• Are DICOM files large?
• Why are DICOM files so large?
• Can you email a DICOM file?
• Why is the DICOM format most suitable for medical images?
• How do I convert a DICOM to a JPEG?
• What is image compression in radiology?

Today, this blog post will focus on whether DICOM medical images can be compressed, when it's appropriate to compress them, and how you can get started.  

Suppose a specialist physician in California is corresponding with a patient in Texas who has an urgent illness. The physician wants to schedule an emergency appointment, but needs to review the patient's medical imaging studies to properly confirm and address the diagnosis. The patient could send a CD hard copy of their studies through the mail, but this is costly and wastes valuable time. The CD could also get lost in transit or arrive to the physician broken or unreadable. 

A full, consistent schedule is the bread and butter of any successful medical practice. Patients who miss their appointments, no-shows and last-minute cancellations can have a huge impact on your practice’s financial health. 

Telehealth exploded at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as patients and providers scrambled to find safe, effective ways to receive and deliver care remotely. 

DICOM files are an essential part of the diagnosis process for many practices. Currently, the standard method for transferring DICOM data is via CDs. However, if your practice has ever burned or received a CD with a patient's data on it you've likely thought to yourself: "there has to be a better way." The good news is, there is!