DICOM
DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standard for handling, storing, printing, and transmitting medical imaging information. It defines a file format and a network communication protocol to ensure interoperability between medical imaging devices and systems, such as MRI, CT, and X-ray machines. The standard is widely used in healthcare for managing digital images and associated patient data.
Developers should learn DICOM when working on healthcare software, medical imaging applications, or systems that integrate with hospital information systems (HIS) or picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). It is essential for ensuring data consistency, security, and compliance in medical environments, such as in telemedicine, radiology workflows, or AI-based image analysis tools.