Popular Image Processing softwares

Medical Image Processing softwares

Medical imaging is one of the fastest growing areas in healthcare. Over the past few decades, it has evolved to include multiple imaging modalities including CT scans, MRIs, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine, to name a few. Along with advancements in the hardware and devices used to generate medical images, huge progress has been made with the different types of software that handle these images.

Acquiring, storing, retrieving and sharing medical images can only be done in the DICOM format. The market is flooded with different kinds of medical imaging software for viewing DICOM images. Medical Image Processing software can be classified as-

1)Medical Image Analysis Software

Any software that can ‘analyze’ data that is obtained from medical images,in the effort to create software capable of independently detecting clinical anomalies in medical images.

Medical image analysis software uses deep learning algorithms to read and evaluate images.It can be trained to ‘flag’ images with suspicious findings, which can expedite processes for radiologists.

Aidoc: Aidoc, a Tel Aviv based company, has developed medical image analysis software that provides diagnostic support for full body CT scans. The application analyzes CT scans of the head, neck, chest and abdomen, and is capable of detecting high-level visual abnormalities. 

Arterys: Arterys is a San Francisco based company that combines deep learning AI algorithms with cloud computing. The medical image analysis software has been shown to increase the speed and accuracy of analysis. Initially developed for cardiac MRIs, Arterys has now developed similar applications for liver MRIs, lung MRIs and mammograms, and helps identify pathological lesions in these regions.

2)Medical Image Processing Software

Medical image processing software  makes the job of manual analysis easier for the radiologist. Medical image processing is of three types—image segmentation, image registration, and image visualization.

Image Segmentation

Segmentation refers to the process of dividing a single image into small parts or segments. Ideally, these segments need to be meaningful, that is, each segment should depict a different structure or organ.

Medical image segmentation software is capable of performing the following functions: Discerning anatomical boundaries, Measuring volumes.

Image Registration

Image registration is a process that allows images to be aligned in the correct manner. In this technique, the computer is acquainted with a series of ‘target’ images. When it is fed a new image, this new ‘source’ image is transformed to become similar in alignment to the to the target image. 

Image Visualization

Medical image visualization software changes the way that the original dataset can be viewed. This allows for analysis from different points of view. Visualization is essentially the process of exploring data, transforming it if needed, and then viewing it with greater depth and clarity in comparison with the original dataset. There are several post-processing techniques that allow for medical image visualization.

3)Medical Image Management Software

 Medical image management software makes this process easier by organizing and integrating large datasets.

Medical image management software consists of a PACS server that can be integrated with a regular DICOM workstation. A standard medical image management software should have the following features:

Archiving all medical image datasets digitally in an organized manner, allows radiologists access to medical imaging data from any geographical location, allows exporting of images to other file formats, and allows integration of medical image data with patient data in other records.

4)Medical Image Dose Tracking Software

Measuring the dose of radiation involved during scan acquisition is now possible with tracking software.

Statutory bodies have noted this and made it mandatory to track the amount of radiation that patients receive and enter this in their health records. It is also required to track the amount of radiation that doctors are exposed to during the course of their work.

To aid with dose tracking, several developers of medical image management software have come up with solutions. For instance, GE offers a program called DoseWatch. It tracks the radiation dose administered to patients at a given institution. Other applications like Sectra offer web-based dose tracking. Sectra is certified by the American College of Radiologists and can submit dose data from a hospital directly to their Dose Index Registry.

PostDICOM—Comprehensive Medical Imaging Solution

PostDICOM integrates the medical imaging software functions that we have described above into one feature-packed program.

 It is sophisticated medical image management software that allows cloud-based storage and retrieval of medical images. 

PostDICOM is compatible with multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Mac OS and Android. 

This free medical imaging software offers advanced visualization options and is integrated with medical image segmentation software.

Compiled by

Ms Naresh kuwar