The DICOM Connectivity Framework (DCF) DICOM Toolkit software is an advanced, object-oriented collection of software components implementing the DICOM v3.0 protocol for OEM medical imaging systems. The DCF DICOM software SDK enables a medical imaging system — printer, scanner, archive device, workstation, etc., — to communicate with other devices over a network, using the DICOM protocol. Using the DCF DICOM Toolkit, an OEM can provide DICOM connectivity for their application or device with a minimum of effort. The DCF is designed to:

• Provide a robust, portable, and high performance implementation of DICOM protocol services.

• Provide a simple yet powerful API for communicating medical imaging information between the OEM's code and the DCF, such that detailed knowledge of DICOM is not required.

• Provide an architecture that includes common service components that can be used as is, or can be easily customized by the OEM to fully integrate the DCF into their own software architecture.

The history of the DCF begins in the 1980s, and recounts how it was designed from the ground up to be an object-oriented implementation. It is the only DICOM solution on the market that provides programmers with a consistent API to C++, Java, and Microsoft COM/.Net (C#/C++.Net), providing support for Windows, Linux, Solaris, and other Unix platforms. This forward thinking design provides the medical imaging system architect, designer, and programmer with a wide variety of features and advantages that enables rapid development of DICOM-based systems and software.

The DCF SDK provides

• Comprehensive DICOM SOP class support — SCU and SCP support for all SOP classes is provided by library components and pre-built applications.
• Chapter-10 media storage support — Read or write DICOM file sets on removable media with DCF libraries and applications in FSC, FSR, or FSU roles.
• Support for all DICOM transfer syntaxes — In addition to standard ILE, ELE, EBE encoding, DCF provides JPEG and JPEG2000 support for lossy and lossless image transmission. Transfer syntax can be easily changed on the fly: for example, receive data in one syntax, write it to disk in another. Transfer Syntax Codec objects can be installed dynamically, without re-compiling to support future encoding types.
• Multiple language support — DCF provides DICOM components in C# .NET, C++, and Java. For Java and C#, components are pure Java and managed C#.
• Multiple Platform Support — Released versions exist for following platforms:
  • Windows XP/Server 2003 (x86 & x64)
  • Linux (x86 & x64)
  • Solaris (SPARC)
  • Contact LBS for information about other platforms.
• Advanced API and Development Environment — Complements UNIX, MS Visual Studio, or Java Eclipse IDE to allow rapid application development. DCF docs can be viewed from any web browser. A powerful yet simple API for accessing DICOM data elements and performing DICOM file and network I/O lets you write enterprise class client (SCU) or server (SCP) applications with ease.

Print and read the DCF Product Brochure for more details.

Why Choose the DICOM Connectivity Framework?

The DCF's next-generation framework provides reliable, high-level components to help speed your DICOM interface development and reduce software costs on your platform of choice. Handling all the nuances of DICOM, the DCF allows your programmers to concentrate their efforts on your domain specific application rather than on learning DICOM.

Connectivity — The DCF provides trouble-free, reliable connectivity in diverse environments. It has been tested and proven in and against a wide variety of OEM devices from leading manufacturers.

Flexibility — We balance the opposing requirements of abstracting or encapsulating complexity, yet still provide access to lower level elements, allowing the OEM developer to choose the appropriate level at which to integrate DICOM services.

Reliability — Using our proprietary automated testing software, publicly available DICOM validation tools, memory leak/corruption test tools, and a large test suite, the DCF is rigorously tested.

Performance — The DCF was designed from the start to provide a high performance DICOM interface in a multi-threaded, OO design, capable of handling numerous associations in a single process.

Support — Web-based problem tracking assures that no issue or problem slips through the cracks. Customers receive prompt telephone and e-mail support, and have access to senior developers when appropriate.

Documentation — Most DCF documentation is generated directly from source code, so that low-level interface (API) and class documentation is always up-to-date and available. User, service, design, and higher-level architectural documentation is also provided.

Configurability — The DCF supports configuration on a per-association basis and dynamic reconfiguration of running applications.

Utilities — A rich set of utilities is provided, including web-based test and troubleshooting tools, test image generation, command-line driven clients and servers, data set dump, along with access to a large suite of validation test scripts.

Applications — Other DICOM applications and tools, based on DCF libraries, are available, including tools to support the following functions: message filter, protocol analyzer, message router, store splitter, migration controller and printer simulator. The DCF enables rapid development of your own applications, including DICOM viewers, DICOM store servers and clients, protocol analyzers and migration tools, among many others.

Cost — The DCF development tools and run-time licenses are competitively priced. The ease of integration of the DCF components using modern OO programming practices provides significant reduction in time-to-market and software development costs, lowering the total cost of ownership and making the DCF the clear choice for new development efforts, as well as for retrofits of existing products.

Adaptability — Customers always have input into our development efforts. The modern design, combined with our rigorous testing processes, allows the DCF to provide robustness without the inflexibility frequently associated commercial software packages. We are extremely responsive to customer needs for new feature requests or bug fixes. Our component model provides for the ability, in many cases, to release a new version of a single component without affecting other components.

Features

• Advanced, object-oriented, component-based architecture
• True multi-threaded implementation
• An advanced component development environment
• Pluggable common services
• Multi-language SDK support for programming in Java, C++ and C#.
• Support for multiple operating systems, most commonly Windows and Linux.
• Component-based logging and debugging
• Web-based service/diagnostic interface
• Automated testing and validation tools
• Multiple event processing models
• Rapid application development
• Per-association configuration management
• Per-association data validation
• Support for multiple languages, including C++, COM/.Net (C#/VB.Net/C++.Net) and Java.
• Support for multiple platforms, including Linux, Windows and Solaris.
• Support for DICOM modality worklists.
• DICOM migration / archive migration / PACS migration.
• Object-oriented, component-based design.
• True multi-threaded implementation.
• Comprehensive SOP class support.
• Example SCU and SCP applications.
• Optional DICOM DIMSE message validation.
• Filters that allow for selective insertion, deletion, editing, re-tagging, or encrypting of DICOM attributes
• Dynamic, per-association configuration and monitoring.
• Web-based service/diagnostic interface.
• Real-time monitoring and statistics reporting.
• Component-based logging and debugging.

Products based on the DCF