DICOM, PACS and Networks for Service Engineers
Getting images from the modality to the archive and back
Part of the program: DICOM and PACS Engineer — program (8 h) →
A CT that sends three images at a time because the wall socket only runs at 100 megabits. A CR reader that stops sending because someone in IT changed the workstation's address. Three X-ray rooms with the same IP address, and a leg image on a chest cassette. Imaging equipment no longer ends at the detector: it ends when the right images of the right patient are safely in the archive and on the radiologist's screen. This course gives the service engineer the working knowledge of DICOM, PACS, worklists and hospital networks needed to configure a modality, prove where a transfer fails, talk to hospital IT on equal terms, protect patient data and return the system to service with evidence. It is built on real resolved cases from CT, MRI, X-ray, CR, mammography, ultrasound, workstations and DICOM printers.
The scanner is fine. The images are not in the archive. Now it is your problem.
- When images do not reach the archive, the modality engineer, the PACS vendor and hospital IT each say it is someone else's side, and the clinic waits.
- Engineers who repair detectors and generators often configure DICOM by trial and error: AE titles, ports and IP addresses copied from a sticker, no echo test, no record of what was set.
- Worklist mistakes, duplicate IP addresses and wrong character sets put images under the wrong patient name, and that is a patient-safety event, not an IT annoyance.
After the course you can
Curriculum
Draw the path of an image and its patient data from order to archive in any department, name the role of each system, and say which parts the service engineer owns and which belong to hospital IT or the PACS vendor.free
20 min02DICOM basics an engineer needs
Configure and verify a DICOM connection between two nodes — AE title, IP address, port, services, SOP classes and transfer syntaxes — and use a conformance statement to check that both sides support what is needed.22 min03Networks for imaging: addresses, switches, firewalls and simple tools
Read and set the basic network parameters of a modality, prove connectivity layer by layer with link checks, ping, port tests and DICOM echo, recognise speed, VLAN, firewall and addressing problems, and write a precise request to hospital IT.22 min04Worklist and patient data: the right images under the right name
Set up and verify a modality worklist, recognise the technical causes of wrong-patient errors, handle clock and character-set problems, and treat patient data, corrections and anonymisation as safety and legal matters.22 min05Workstations and archives: disks, backups, updates and security
Keep imaging workstations and local archives working and recoverable: monitor disks and RAID, make and verify backups, apply only manufacturer-validated updates and antivirus, handle licences through proper channels, restore a workstation correctly and apply basic cybersecurity.22 min06Fault-finding in the image chain and return to service
Find faults in image transfer, duplicates, worklist, DICOM printing, transfer speed and character sets in a fixed order, and return the chain to service with documented tests that prove every link works.24 min—Exam
25 · 40 min · 75 %
The certificate
Pass the exam and get a certificate of course completion with your name, hours and score. Every certificate has a unique number and a public verification page, so an employer or a customer can check it in one click. It confirms completion of the course; it is not an educational document (diploma) and not a manufacturer authorisation.
Who it is for
Who it is for
- Field engineers who service CT, MRI, X-ray, mammography, ultrasound and other imaging equipment
- Hospital biomedical / clinical engineering teams who sit between the modalities and hospital IT
- IT specialists in hospitals who need to understand what the modality side needs from the network
Who teaches
Written by a service engineer working with medical equipment since 2014, including 6.5 years at GE Healthcare and service supervision at Mindray, together with the engineers of Service Engineer.
FAQ
Is this manufacturer or PACS-vendor training?
No. It is independent, vendor-neutral training. It does not replace any manufacturer's procedures, does not grant authorisation and does not give access to service software, passwords, licence keys or options.
Do I need to be a network specialist?
No. The course teaches the network knowledge a modality engineer needs to configure, test and explain a connection. Designing and running the hospital network stays with hospital IT.
How does it fit with the other courses?
It is a General course. The fault-finding loop is taught in Fault-Finding Method, electrical safety after repair in Electrical Safety, and the modality hardware in the CT, X-ray, MRI and other Level 1 courses. This course covers the path of the image after the detector.
Does it cover data protection law?
At principle level only, with pointers to the personal data laws of Kazakhstan and Russia. Your employer's procedures and the current law apply.
What does the certificate say?
Your name, the course, the hours, the date and your exam score, with a unique number and a public verification page.
Can my company buy seats for a team?
Yes: five seats and a progress overview for the manager.
Languages?
English and Russian.