Purpose: DICOM clients could not access more than one archive simultaneously in the previous PACS systems. We developed a proxy server which makes it possible for clients to query and retrieve images from multivendor DICOM archives simultaneously.
Methods: We used a Web server that supports the DICOM query and retrieve(Q/R) service class as a proxy server. This system consisted of two DICOM servers and six DICOM clients of different vendors in the Radiology Department. Through Web browsers on the clients, requests for Q/R were transmitted to the proxy server by hypertext transfer protocol. The proxy server communicated with DICOM servers by DICOM Q/R Service Class(C-FIND, C-MOVE), and then DICOM servers directly transmitted images to DICOM clients by DICOM Storage Service Class(C-STORE).
Results: DICOM clients could transmit Q/R requests to two DICOM servers simultaneously via the proxy server and receive requested images promptly. Confirmation of conformance among the proxy server, DICOM archives, and DICOM clients became much easier than previously.
Conclusion: A Web server working as a proxy server of the DICOM Q/R Service Class is an effective solution for allowing DICOM clients to communicate with multiple DICOM archives.