The DICOM Media Storage Model is presented by Figure 6.2-1 and expands on the General DICOM Communication Model introduced earlier in Section 6.1.
The DICOM Media Storage Model focuses on the aspects directly related to data interchange through removable storage media. It pertains to the data structures and associated rules used at different layers to achieve interoperability through media interchange. The Services identified in this Model are simple boundaries between functional layers.
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It is not within the scope of this Standard to specify Application Programming Interfaces at these boundaries.
The DICOM Media Storage Model includes three layers, which are described in the following sections.
Physical media characteristics are defined at the Physical Media Layer. Such characteristics include the physical media form factor, dimension, mechanical characteristics and recording properties. This Layer also defines the organization and grouping of the recorded bits.
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An example of a Physical Media Layer in the personal computer environment is the 3 1/2 inch floppy disk, double sided, high density.
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The specification of one or more specific Physical Media for a given application is beyond the scope of this Part of the DICOM Standard. PS3.12 and its annexes specify several Physical Media choices. PS3.11 defines a number of Application Profiles that select specific Physical Media depending on the requirements of specific medical imaging applications.