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File-opening guide

I received a CT scan as PDF or JPG: can I open it in 3D?

A PDF report or JPG of a CT scan does not contain the complete source volume needed for MPR or 3D. You can view the supplied pages or picture, but must request the reconstructed DICOM image series to explore the scan as a volume.

By the Ossidex team · How we write and check these pages · Updated

Download on the App StoreFree to download · iPhone & iPad · iOS 17+

What each deliverable can preserve

What you haveWhat it means
.pdf reportWritten findings or rendered pages. It may be useful alongside the images but is not the original slice stack.
.jpg or .png screenshotA rendered view. Do not assume it retains calibrated pixel spacing or the full range of stored image values.
DICOM image seriesThe medical image data and metadata. A suitable complete series can support reconstructed views.

How to open the images

  1. Keep the report with the study. Retain the original PDF or picture for its intended purpose. Do not rename it to .dcm.
  2. Request the image data. Send the clinic: “Please provide the complete reconstructed CT examination in standard DICOM, including all image files and series, as a folder or ZIP. I already have the report.”
  3. Import the returned export. On iPhone or iPad use Ossidex + → Files / ZIP for an archive, or Folder for the complete image directory.
  4. Confirm the intended volume is present. Select the study and reconstructed series, then scroll through it. On Mac, use the browser viewer’s Open folder for DICOM images.

What to check if it still does not open

The native app can render supported PDF pages and ordinary image files, but that does not make them CT volumes. Browser support differs; use the browser viewer for its documented image formats.

A PDF can show several slices and still lack the full series and spatial metadata. A panorama derived from a CBCT is likewise not the CBCT itself. Measurements on rendered images need their own valid calibration; do not assume the scale survived a screenshot.

Viewer options and format limits

On a Mac, open the browser viewer and choose Open folder for the complete DICOM folder or Open files for a ZIP. Browser format and memory limits differ from the iPhone/iPad app; a successful import does not establish that the examination is complete.

See the matching format or export guide and tested samples and compatibility limits. Ossidex is a viewer and planning aid, not a diagnostic device.

Frequently asked questions

Can software turn my report back into a CT scan?

No. The report describes the examination but does not supply the missing pixel data. Request the original image export.

Can a screenshot show a 3D view?

Yes, as a static picture of a rendered view. It does not let you rotate the original volume or reconstruct new planes.

Sources

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