DICOM Library is free online medical images, signals or video files sharing and anonymizing service for educational and scientific purposes. The main idea of this library was to create and develop brand new innovative tool for medical specialists to analyze and manipulate medical data and share anonymized studies among colleagues or even get medical professionals’ second opinion from all over the world. Unique medical knowledge exchange portal was launched by SOFTNETA company in 2011.

DICOM Library is intended for medical professionals, such as radiologists, cardiologists, physicians and other specialists, as well as for medical professors and students, who are working with studies in DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) format, i. e. DICOM files, DICOM images, signals, videos and similar data. Users have a possibility to share anonymized medical DICOM images online with their colleagues quickly.

DICOM Library allows the users to upload, view and share anonymized DICOM files easily, as well as to delete them from the library. The users may review uploaded study through the web based HTML5 zero-footprint Dicom viewer – MedDream. MedDream DICOM Viewer is FDA cleared for diagnostic use and certified medical device that can be used for review purposes or even primary diagnosis. MedDream DICOM Viewer has a rich tool set, which includes regular tools such as zoom, pan, windowing, magnifier, measuring and advanced tools for radiology, cardiology, ophthalmology and other fields. MedDream ensures prompt and reliable way to view and analyze medical images, signals and video files on various devices: computers, smart phones, tablets, etc.

All DICOM files are anonymized before they are uploaded into the library, therefore, no personal information about the patient or the doctor is revealed. Moreover, the users can use the provided DICOM Library's links of the anonymized DICOM studies, share them with other colleagues for asking an advice or second opinion for diagnosis or simply download them. What is more, the user may share the link with the study in forums, social networks or just send them by e-mail. This possibility creates prompt online communication between medical professionals. Also, as library, this portal contains main DICOM data lists, as: Transfer Syntaxes, SOPs (A Service-Object Pair Class), Modalities, Tags and Space storage calculator.

DICOM Library uniqueness and relevance caused its popularity worldwide. The number of studies shared by using this portal has reached over 321 k studies throughout 6-year project cycle with about 230 k unique users from 204 countries. Even more than 63 k of all users (27%) are from United States. Other top countries, where DICOM Library is used the most are: India, Germany, Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, Italy and France. During the past 5-year period, usage of the service increased more than 9,3 times and number of new users increased 8,5 times.

As DICOM Library is very popular, there are development and extension plans made for the nearest future: creating Database of Medical Images, implementing the classification of medical images via illness code, diagnosis, study type, part of a body etc., developing doctor to doctor collaboration and patient to doctor second opinion features.

This project contributes to better studies’ understanding and communication between medical specialists in medical, educational and scientific areas.