How to Open a DICOM File on Android

Download Article

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: February 24, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

• Using a Web Browser
|
• Using an App

|Show more |Show less

You can easily open and view DICOM image files on an Android phone or tablet–with or without an app. DICOM files usually contain medical images/scans and carry the ".dcm" file extension at the end of the file name. We’ll give you two main methods for viewing DICOM images on Android: either opening the files online in your browser or downloading a free third-party DICOM viewer app.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Web Browser

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Open Chrome on your Android

   

   . Its icon resembles a red, green, and yellow wheel with a blue dot.

   • You can also use a different browser like Firefox or Opera. The web-based viewer works in most browsers.
   • If you received the DICOM file via email, make sure you've saved the file to your Android.
2. 
   2
   Go to https://viewmyscans.com in your browser. Type or paste this URL into your browser's address bar on your keyboard.
   Advertisement
3. 
   3
   Tap the click to choose a file link. This is a blue link inside the red rectangle on the page. It will open a pop-up menu.
4. 
   4
   Tap Documents on the pop-up menu. This will open your Android's file navigator and prompt you to select your file.
5. 
   5
   Select your DICOM image file. This will instantly upload and process the selected DICOM file on the viewer's website. The image title will appear as a blue link below the red area.
6. 
   6
   Tap the blue image name. The online viewer automatically recognizes all the images in the uploaded DICOM file, and the available image (or images) shows up as a blue link below the red area.

   • Tapping the image name will open the picture in a new tab.
   • For example, if this file was an MRI scan, you could see an image name such as "Magnetic Resonance with 2 Slices created on 5 March 2011 1:37 AM."
Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using an App

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Download and install the IDV - IMAIOS DICOM Viewer app. IVD is a free, user-friendly app available from the Google Play Store. To get it, open the Play Store, search "IMAIOS DICOM Viewer," select the app, and then tap Install.

   • If you received the DICOM file via email, make sure you've saved the file to your Android or save the download link.
2. 
   2
   Open IDV - IMAIOS DICOM Viewer and agree to the terms. Once you open the viewer, tap the checkbox next to "I agree to the terms of use," and then tap Continue.

   • You'll also be asked if you want to download demonstration studies, which are sample DICOM images you can view. If you want to download these, tap OK when prompted.
3. 
   3
   Tap the Studies tab. It's the first tab at the top of the page. This is where you will find your DICOM images once added.
4. 
   4
   Tap the

   

   icon. It's the plus (+) sign inside a circle in the lower-right corner.

   • The first time you tap this button, you must allow the app to take pictures and video. Tap While using the app > Allow all when prompted.
5. 
   5
   Select a source.

   • Files: If the DICOM images are saved to your Android, select this option.
   • Folders: If you have an entire folder full of DICOM images saved to your devices, choose this option to add the entire folder.
   • Download link: If you have an online link to your DICOM images, select this option.
   • QR Code: If you have a download link as a QR code, select this option.
   • DICOM Query: If you want to search for DICOM files on a server, select this option. You will need to know the server name, AE title, IP address, port number, patient's name, date of birth, and ID number.
6. 
   6
   Add the files to the IMAIOS DICOM Viewer app. Use one of the following steps to do so:

   • Files: Open the file and tap it to add it to the app.
   • Folders: Open to the folder that contains your DICOM images and tap it.
   • Download link: Copy and paste the download link to the DICOM image study into the text field and tap OK.
   • QR Code: Hold your phone steady over the QR code so it appears on the screen inside the box.
   • DICOM Query: Tap Add Server, enter the server name, AE Title, IP address, and Port number, and tap OK. Then, use the text fields to search for a patient by name, date of birth, and ID number, and tap any available DICOM images available for that patient.
7. 
   7
   Tap the Studies tab. It's the first tab at the top.
8. 
   8
   Tap the study that contains your DICOM images. This displays all DICOM images as thumbnail images.

   • Tap any DICOM file to open it as a full screen image on your phone or tablet.
   • Some images may have multiple images (i.e., 3D scans). You can scroll through all images in the scan by swiping up and down.
Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!