![\"Medical](\"https:\/\/rtmedical.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dicom-network-medical-imaging.jpeg\")
In This Article<\/h2>\n\n- 1. Application Entities and Network Configuration<\/a><\/li>\n
- 2. Services and Data: The SCU\/SCP Model<\/a><\/li>\n
- 3. DIMSE: The DICOM Network Language<\/a><\/li>\n
- 4. C-Echo: The DICOM Ping<\/a><\/li>\n
- 5. Common Configuration Mistakes<\/a><\/li>\n
- 6. Limitations and When Not to Use<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Application Entities: Identifying Devices on the DICOM Network<\/h2>\n
Every device on a TCP\/IP network has its own IP address \u2014 you already know that. But in the DICOM world, there’s an additional identification layer: the Application Entity (AE)<\/strong>. An AE corresponds to any DICOM application running on a networked device, whether it’s an archive server (PACS), a viewing workstation, a DICOM printer, or an acquisition modality like a CT scanner.<\/p>\nBeyond the standard IP address, each AE receives a unique name called the Application Entity Title (AET)<\/strong>. The AET can have up to 16 characters, and in practice, intuitive names like PACSSERVER<\/code>, CTWORKSTATION1<\/code>, or ARCHIVE<\/code> work best \u2014 preferably uppercase, without spaces or special characters.<\/p>\n\nPractical Tip:<\/strong> When PACS software is installed at your site, demand that AETs are assigned clearly and consistently. Some manufacturers are notorious for using confusing titles \u2014 don’t accept that.\n<\/div>\nAE = Application, Not Computer<\/h3>\n
A critical detail many people overlook: AE titles identify applications<\/em>, not machines. Nothing prevents a single computer from running multiple DICOM applications simultaneously \u2014 server, workstation, print server. In practice, this is quite common. Each application gets a different AET, and other network devices can communicate with a specific application rather than the entire machine.<\/p>\nTo configure your device on a DICOM network, three parameters are essential:<\/p>\n
\n- AET (AE Title)<\/strong> \u2014 alphanumeric, up to 16 characters. Think names like
CTWORKSTATION1<\/code> or PACS_SERVER<\/code>.<\/li>\n- AE IP address<\/strong> \u2014 must be reserved and fixed for that application.<\/li>\n
- Port number<\/strong> \u2014 DICOM’s default port is 104, but any available port works as long as it’s consistent across the network.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
![\"DICOM](\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\")
Modality Worklist interface with AE Title fields, patient data, and procedure scheduling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe port plays a crucial role when multiple DICOM applications run on the same computer. While different AETs identify each application, different port numbers separate them at the network layer. A single AE can even have two ports: one for sending and another for receiving \u2014 a feature most modern DICOM software supports.<\/p>\n
\nTechnical Note:<\/strong> Although not required by the DICOM standard, many manufacturers implement mutual AE verification. That is, if AE X wants to connect to AE Y, it’s not enough for X to know Y \u2014 Y must also have X registered. Always configure symmetrically: when adding X’s configuration to device Y, always add Y’s configuration to device X.\n<\/div>\nServices and Data: The SCU\/SCP Model<\/h2>\n
The communication model adopted by DICOM is elegant in its conceptual simplicity: Application Entities provide services<\/em> to each other. One AE can request a service from another, and that entity provides the requested service.<\/p>\nIn DICOM terminology, the AE requesting a service is the Service Class User (SCU)<\/strong>, and the one providing it is the Service Class Provider (SCP)<\/strong>. For example, when a CT scanner sends images to a digital archive, the scanner acts as the SCU and the archive acts as the Storage SCP.<\/p>\n
Application Entities: Identifying Devices on the DICOM Network<\/h2>\n
Every device on a TCP\/IP network has its own IP address \u2014 you already know that. But in the DICOM world, there’s an additional identification layer: the Application Entity (AE)<\/strong>. An AE corresponds to any DICOM application running on a networked device, whether it’s an archive server (PACS), a viewing workstation, a DICOM printer, or an acquisition modality like a CT scanner.<\/p>\n Beyond the standard IP address, each AE receives a unique name called the Application Entity Title (AET)<\/strong>. The AET can have up to 16 characters, and in practice, intuitive names like A critical detail many people overlook: AE titles identify applications<\/em>, not machines. Nothing prevents a single computer from running multiple DICOM applications simultaneously \u2014 server, workstation, print server. In practice, this is quite common. Each application gets a different AET, and other network devices can communicate with a specific application rather than the entire machine.<\/p>\n To configure your device on a DICOM network, three parameters are essential:<\/p>\n The port plays a crucial role when multiple DICOM applications run on the same computer. While different AETs identify each application, different port numbers separate them at the network layer. A single AE can even have two ports: one for sending and another for receiving \u2014 a feature most modern DICOM software supports.<\/p>\n The communication model adopted by DICOM is elegant in its conceptual simplicity: Application Entities provide services<\/em> to each other. One AE can request a service from another, and that entity provides the requested service.<\/p>\n In DICOM terminology, the AE requesting a service is the Service Class User (SCU)<\/strong>, and the one providing it is the Service Class Provider (SCP)<\/strong>. For example, when a CT scanner sends images to a digital archive, the scanner acts as the SCU and the archive acts as the Storage SCP.<\/p>\nPACSSERVER<\/code>, CTWORKSTATION1<\/code>, or ARCHIVE<\/code> work best \u2014 preferably uppercase, without spaces or special characters.<\/p>\nAE = Application, Not Computer<\/h3>\n
\n
CTWORKSTATION1<\/code> or PACS_SERVER<\/code>.<\/li>\n![\"DICOM](\"https:\/\/rtmedical.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dicom-modality-worklist-interface.jpeg\")
Services and Data: The SCU\/SCP Model<\/h2>\n
![\"Healthcare](\"https:\/\/rtmedical.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dicom-radiology-workstation.jpeg\")
![\"Hospital](\"https:\/\/rtmedical.com.br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/dicom-pacs-hospital-system.jpeg\")