PACS
Mobile PACS viewer: connect iPhone and iPad via DICOMweb
Ossidex can connect to a PACS or archive that supports DICOMweb. It searches studies with QIDO-RS, downloads them with WADO-RS and opens them like any other study. Credentials (Basic or OAuth) are stored in the iOS Keychain, and the app talks directly to your server — nothing passes through Ossidex servers.
What you need
- A PACS, VNA or archive with a DICOMweb endpoint (for example Orthanc with the DICOMweb plugin, dcm4chee, or a commercial PACS that exposes QIDO-RS/WADO-RS).
- Network access from the iPhone or iPad to that endpoint — on site or through your organisation’s VPN.
- An account with read permission.
Set up a connection
- Add a server. In Ossidex, open PACS and add a server with its DICOMweb base URL.
- Sign in. Choose Basic or OAuth authentication. Secrets are saved in the Keychain.
- Search. Search the archive for the study you need (QIDO-RS).
- Download and view. Download a study (WADO-RS); it opens in the viewer and stays on the device for offline use.
Limits
Ossidex uses DICOMweb only; classic DIMSE (C-FIND/C-MOVE) is not supported. The first three PACS study downloads are free; unlimited downloads are part of Pro.
Authentication options
| Method | When to use it |
|---|---|
| None | Local test servers or archives already protected by a VPN |
| Basic (user name and password) | Simple setups such as Orthanc with a read-only user |
| OAuth | Archives behind an identity provider; tokens are refreshed by the app |
Whatever the method, secrets are stored in the iOS Keychain, never in plain settings, and the connection goes straight from the device to your server.
Troubleshooting a connection
- No results: check the base URL — it usually ends in
/dicom-webor/dicomweb— and that QIDO-RS is enabled. - 401 or 403: credentials or permissions; ask for read access to the studies you need.
- Timeouts: the server is not reachable from the device’s network; connect to the VPN first.
- Study downloads but looks empty: the server may not support WADO-RS retrieval for that study; ask your administrator.
Where it fits
DICOMweb is the HTTP-based part of the DICOM standard: QIDO-RS answers queries (“which studies match?”) and WADO-RS returns the images. Most current archives expose it, sometimes through a gateway. For a clinician this means an iPhone or iPad can fetch a study from the archive over the same kind of connection a web browser uses, without installing anything on the server side.
| Use case | How Ossidex helps |
|---|---|
| Quick look away from the workstation | Search, download one study, review it in 2D, MPR or 3D |
| Consultation or ward round | Show the images on an iPad next to the patient |
| Teaching | Pull anonymized teaching cases from a research archive such as Orthanc |
| Small clinics | Connect to a lightweight archive without buying extra workstations |
Compatible servers
Any server that implements QIDO-RS and WADO-RS should work. Commonly used ones include:
- Orthanc with the DICOMweb plugin — free, popular in research and small practices.
- dcm4chee-arc — open-source archive used in hospitals.
- Commercial PACS and VNAs that expose DICOMweb, often behind the organisation’s VPN or a reverse proxy.
If your archive only speaks classic DIMSE (C-FIND/C-MOVE), ask your PACS administrator whether a DICOMweb endpoint or gateway is available.
Security checklist
- Use an
https://endpoint so traffic is encrypted. - Prefer OAuth where your server supports it; otherwise use a dedicated read-only account.
- Credentials stay in the iOS Keychain on the device; downloaded studies stay in the app and open offline.
- Downloaded studies can be deleted in the app at any time; your archive is never modified.
Frequently asked questions
Does Ossidex support C-MOVE or C-STORE?
No. It connects over DICOMweb (QIDO-RS and WADO-RS).
Is the connection secure?
Use an https endpoint. Credentials are stored in the iOS Keychain and data flows directly between your device and your server.
Can I upload studies back to the PACS?
No. Ossidex only searches and downloads (read-only).
How many PACS downloads are free?
The first three study downloads are free; unlimited downloads are part of Pro.
Related pages
Radiologists
Quick CT and MRI review away from the workstation, PACS via DICOMweb, MPR and 3D.
Offline, on-device DICOM viewer: your scans never leave the device
Ossidex opens and renders scans on your iPhone or iPad. No account, no upload of images to our servers, offline viewing, anonymized export when you share.
What is a DICOM file? The medical imaging format explained
DICOM is the standard file format for medical images like CT, MRI and X-ray. What is inside a DICOM file, how studies and series work, and how to open one.
Ossidex pricing: free to view, Pro for MPR, 3D and the arch
Ossidex is free to download with 2D viewing and measurements. Pro is an optional auto-renewing subscription that adds MPR, 3D, the panoramic arch and more.