Image Compression and the DICOM Standard

Several compression schemes are defined in DICOM. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) lossless compression, which allows perfect reconstruction of the original image is mandated by the standard for cardiac angiography. JPEG lossy compression, which is not fully reversible, is an option only for echocardiography interchange; echocardiography also allows lossless compressed data. The use of lossy compression with angiography will be evaluated by the x-ray angiographic working group. Nuclear files are generally much smaller than angiographic or echocardiographic files, are stored without compression. The FDA has announced that it will leave it up to the market to determine the appropriate compression standards. Equipment using lossless or lossy can now receive the 510k certification.

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