Configure and use DICOM network services

(C-FIND/C-MOVE/C-STORE/C-ECHO)

• Definitions
• Configuration
• Send files/series to a PACS server (C-STORE service)
• Query and retreive files/series from a PACS server (C-FIND/C-MOVE services)

DICOM Services
DICOM consists of many different services, most of which involve transmission of data over a network. The program supports the store, query/retrieve and echo services (C-STORE/C-FIND/C-MOVE/C-ECHO SCU).

Store Service (C-STORE)
The DICOM Store service is used to send images or other persistent objects to a PACS or workstation.

Query/Retrieve Service (C-FIND/C-MOVE)
This service enables a workstation to find lists of images or other objects and then retrieve them from a PACS system.

Echo Service (C-ECHO)
This sevice enables a workstation to verify the connection and the communication with another workstation or a PACS system.

DICOM communication protocol
The communication protocol is an application protocol that uses TCP/IP to communicate between systems. DICOM files can be exchanged between two entities that are capable of receiving image and patient data in DICOM format.

Communication between DICOM nodes
Two DICOM nodes (workstations, PACS systems) can communate if they know each other. That means, each system must know the AE Title, the IP address or hostname and the IP port of the other system. 

AE Title
AE Title or AET is an abbreviation for Application Entity Title. An AE Title is used by an Application Entity (AE) to identify itself. AE Titles need to be locally unique and are typically managed by a system administrator. They are case-sensitive and 16 bytes long. They are to be configured prior to initializing a DICOM connection.

IP Address
An Internet Protocol (IP) address is a numerical identification (logical address) that is assigned to devices participating in a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol for communication between its nodes. Although IP addresses are stored as binary numbers, they are often displayed in more human-readable notations, such as 192.168.100.1 . Usually can be translated into a hostname via the local hosts file, or the Domain Name System (DNS) resolver, and can be used instead of the hostname.

Hostname
A hostname is a domain name assigned to a host computer, and is translated into an IP Address via the local hosts file, or the Domain Name System (DNS) resolver. It can be used instead of an IP Address.

Port
TCP/IP protocol uses the notion of port numbers to identify sending and receiving application end-points on a host. Each side of a TCP connection has an associated 16-bit unsigned port number (1-65535) reserved by the sending or receiving application. Arriving TCP data packets are identified as belonging to a specific TCP connection by its sockets, that is, the combination of source host address, source port, destination host address, and destination port. Ports need to be locally unique and are typically managed by a system administrator. The numbers 104 and 11112 are usually used as IP Ports in DICOM networking, but any number between 1 and 65535 can be used, but it must be unique for the host (node/PC), and it must not be used from any other application.

Firewall
A firewall is a dedicated software, which inspects network traffic passing through it, and denies or permits passage based on a set of rules. If there is a firewall in your computer you have to unblock the Sante DICOM application.



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Configure the Sante DICOM application
Select the menu command "OptionsNetwork Setup". A dialog box is appeared and allows you to insert the AE Title and the IP Port of Sante DICOM application. Also, it allows you to insert the AE Title, IP address and port of your PACS systems. The program supports up to 8 PACS servers.




Insert/Edit a PACS system
Press the "Insert" or "Edit" buttons of the above dialog box. A new dialog box is appeared and allows you to insert the information of your PACS system.




The IP Address of Sante DICOM Application
To find out the IP address of your computer, open a console window and run the command "ipconfig".
(To open the console window run the application "C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe").
If the PACS server and the Sante DICOM application are in the same computer, you can use the IP Address 127.0.0.1 or the hostname localhost.




Configure your PACS server
The Sante DICOM application is compatible with the most DICOM PACS providers. Please advise your PACS software help file about AE configuration of your PACS server. Below are examples of the configuration of two of the most used free PACS servers, the ConQuest and the dcm4chee. All PACS servers have similar configuration with these ones.


The ConQuest configuration
Select the "Known DICOM providers" tab and insert the AE Title, IP Address and IP Port of Sante DICOM Application.
Press the "Save this list" button.




The dcm4chee configuration
Select the "AE Managment" tab, press the "+ new AET" button and insert the AE Title, IP Address and IP Port of Sante DICOM Application.




Asynchronous/Synchronous file transfers
The program supports two modes of file transfer: the synchronous mode and the asynchronous mode. The user can configure this option from the "Network Setup" dialog box.

• In Synchronous transfer mode, the program displays a dialog box that shows the transfer progress. In this mode the user cannot continue to work until the transfer has been completed.
  
  
  
• In Asynchronous transfer mode, the program adds the files in a transfer queue and displays the transfer progress in the Network Status pane. In this mode the user can continue to work while the files are transfered to the server.
  
  

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Use the menu command "FileSendSend To C-STORE SCP" to send the active DICOM file or DICOM series to a C-STORE SCP server. This command is active when you have opened one or more DICOM files and/or series, and you have configured the DICOM neworking.



AE Title combo box
Selects a C-STORE SCP server.

Echo button
Tests the connection with the selected C-STORE SCP server.

OK button
Sends the selected entries to the selected C-STORE SCP server and closes the dialog box.

Cancel button
Interrupts the procedure and closes the dialog box.

Asynchronous/Synchronous file transfers
The program supports two modes of file transfer: the synchronous mode and the asynchronous mode. The user can configure this option from the Network Setup dialog box.

• In Synchronous transfer mode, the program displays a dialog box that shows the transfer progress. In this mode the user cannot continue to work until the transfer has been completed.
  
  
  
• In Asynchronous transfer mode, the program adds the files in a transfer queue and displays the transfer progress in the Network Status pane. In this mode the user can continue to work while the files are transfered to the server.
  
   
  

Network log
The user can view the log of a specific network job by selecting the desired row in the Network Status pane.



A dialog box is appeared and displays the details of the job.



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Use the menu command "FileSearchQuery C-STORE SCP" to query and retreive DICOM series from a PACS server. This command is active when you have configured the DICOM neworking.




Preview and open a transferred series
The last 100 transferred series are appeared in the Transferred Series pane. All series are stored under the folder "My Documents\Sante Transfer Vault".




By clicking in a row of Transferred Series pane, the program displays a preview of the transferred series and allows the user to preview and open it.



Asynchronous/Synchronous file transfers
The program supports two modes of file transfer: the synchronous mode and the asynchronous mode. The user can configure this option from the Network Setup dialog box.

• In Synchronous transfer mode, the program displays a dialog box that shows the transfer progress. In this mode the user cannot continue to work until the transfer has been completed.
  
  
  
• In Asynchronous transfer mode, the program adds the files in a transfer queue and displays the transfer progress in the Network Status pane. In this mode the user can continue to work while the files are transfered to the server.
  
   
  

Network log
The user can view the log of a specific network job by selecting the desired row in the Network Status pane.



A dialog box is appeared and displays the details of the job.



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