How Do I Display X-Rays and DICOM Images?
I have attached some X-Rays to the animal card but I cannot seem to look at them correctly. What can I do?
Digital X-Rays are generally stored as dicom files, the file extension is '.dcm'. Premvet will use two different methods to display the images:
Windows Associations If you are using Anita as a terminal emulator this will use the extension (.dcm) and Windows associations to open the file.
Other emulators, axels, main console etc will use a specific program to open the document.
For general information on Dicom see http://www.sph.sc.edu/comd/rorden/dicom.html
It does not matter if you are using file association or not you will still need some external software to read the images.
Microsoft Windows Software - One of the easier ones to use is: ezDICOM. There are other viewers available.
On Axels (VNC), X clients etc. you can use 'display' which is part of the ImageMagic suite of tools. ImageMagic is usually installed automatically, if you do need a copy you can get this from Support, our ftp site or from www.sco.com/skunkware
If you are using a PC then the easy way to check that Dicom software is installed is just double click any dicom file you have stored on your PC. If it opens the image then the software is installed.
For your Unix server, when in the Vet System, press F6 and at the Vet> prompt type display e.g.
[venus:ttyp2] Vet> display display: unable to open X server `'.if you see then unable to open message the software IS installed ok, a 'not found' message is as it implies - not found/available.
The next step, if you have not already done so, attach an x-ray to an animal card (see the attach faq).
Generally, assuming the software is installed the image will be automatically displayed.
There are two options on the Write screen (the options do change depending on the emulator used and filecap settings) that display the image:
| Look | Uses file association if using Anita |
|---|---|
| View | Uses premvet filecap entry |
If the 'Look' option gives an error then you do not have Windows file associations set correctly. If 'View' files fails then the Premvet filecap entry is wrong.
Sample Filecap Entries
In case your version of filecap does not support dicom (use the Write -> Helper Programs option) to check.Make sure the entries appear in the correct sections.
# Graphics graphics/dicom ; C:\ezdicom.exe %s ; test env=windows graphics/dicom ; display %s ; test xwindows # By Filetype .dcm graphics/dicom
Remember, as with all Premvet system files 'filecap' may be over written
in future upgrades. You should add your own custom entries to:
filecap.local.