6 DICOM Models for Media Storage

This section defines the DICOM Media Storage Model used by DICOM Application Entities for the purpose of communication through the interchange of removable storage media. Specifically, this Section provides a model to clarify a number of concepts for digital imaging and communications and introduces key terms used throughout the DICOM Standard. This model has been used to partition the DICOM Standard into separate parts related to storage media interchange.

6.1 General DICOM Communication Model

Figure 6.1-1 presents the general communication model of DICOM that spans network and storage media interchange communications. The DICOM Application Entities may rely on either one of the following boundaries:

1. the OSI Upper Layer Service, which provides independence from specific physical networking communication support

2. the DICOM File Service, which provides access to Storage Media independently from specific physical media storage formats and file structures.

Figure 6.1-1. General DICOM Communication Model