How to Upload DICOM Files

From a CD-ROM to 3DICOM

In many cases — particularly in the US — medical imaging centres still provide scan copies on a CD-ROM for patients to take home or share with their healthcare providers. If you’ve received your DICOM files this way,this guide will walk you through the steps to transfer your imaging dcm files from a CD-ROM to 3DICOM on both Windows and Mac computers.

Before you begin

• You must have access to a CD/DVD drive to upload scans to 3DICOM from a CD-ROM.

Some older computers have a CD/DVD drive with a button on the front that opens a tray for the disc to be loaded into. Others have a slot where you can slide the disc straight in, without a tray. And most newer computers don’t come with a CD/DVD drive at all.

If your computer doesn’t have a CD/DVD drive, you can purchase an external optical drive that connects via USB/USB-C to access the data on your discs.

How to Insert the CD-ROM

Instructions on how to open a CD/DVD drive and load/insert your CD-ROM on Windows and Mac devices are provided below.

Windows Mac

On Windows

How to load a CD/DVD drive on a Windows PC.

For a slot-type CD/DVD drive, you can start from Step 4 of the ‘Without’ instructions. Make sure you don’t already have a CD/DVD inserted into the drive.

With an open/eject button:

1. Locate and press the physical eject button on the drive, to open the disc tray.

2. Load the CD-ROM into the tray (label facing upwards).

3. Press the button again to close the disc tray.

Without an open/eject button (or with a CD/DVD slot):

1. Open File Explorer in Windows.

2. Under This PC, right-click the CD/DVD drive icon.

3. Select ‘Open’ or ‘Eject’ to open the tray.

4. Load/insert the CD-ROM (label facing upwards).

On Mac

How to load a CD/DVD drive on a Mac computer.

How to load a tray-type CD/DVD drive

1. Locate and press the physical eject button on the drive, to open the disc tray.

2. Load the CD-ROM into the tray (label facing upwards).

3. Press the button again to close the disc tray.

How to load a slot-type CD/DVD drive

1. Make sure you don’t already have a CD/DVD inserted into the drive.

If a disc icon appears on your desktop, you may have one inserted already. You can remove it by dragging the disc icon to the trash or pressing the eject (⏏) key on your keyboard.

2. Load/insert the CD-ROM (label facing upwards).

After inserting the CD-ROM

Once you’ve inserted the disc into your CD/DVD drive, the disc should be automatically recognized by your system.

On Windows

The disc will spin up, and the system will try to identify its contents. And by default, Windows will show an AutoPlay prompt (a pop-up window asking what you want to do with the disc: open folder, play media, run software, etc.).

If AutoPlay is disabled, you’ll need to open File Explorer and look for the disc under This PC / My Computer. It usually appears as “DVD RW Drive (D:)” or similar.

You can then double-click it to view the dcm files.

On Mac

The disc will spin up and mount automatically. A disc icon usually appears on the desktop and in the Finder sidebar under ‘Locations.’

In some cases, a pop-up may appear asking what you want to do with the disc (e.g., open Finder, etc.).

You can open the disc icon in Finder to view its contents.

Copying the dcm files to your computer

For a slot-type CD/DVD drive, you can start from Step 4 of the ‘Without’ instructions. Make sure you don’t already have a CD/DVD inserted into the drive.

Steps to get there:

1. Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS) and locate the CD-ROM drive.

2. Navigate to the folder on the CD-ROM containing .dcm (DICOM) files.

3. Right-click on the folder and select ‘Copy’.

4. Go to a location on your computer where you can access it easily (e.g., Desktop).

5. Right-click in the destination and select ‘Paste’.

Now that you’ve copied your dcm files to your computer, you’re ready to upload them.

Uploading to 3DICOM

DICOM files can be uploaded via the 3DICOM Viewer Dashboard using the Upload Scan Button or the drag-and-drop area options.

Instructions on how to upload using both options are provided below.

Upload Scan Button Drag & Drop Area

Using the Upload Scan Button

Uploading a Scan (DICOM Files) using the Upload Scan Button.

Steps to get there:

1. Log in to your 3DICOM account. You will be automatically directed to the dashboard.

Click ‘Upload Scan’ to open your computer’s file browser.

3. Find and select the folder containing your medical imaging files.

3DICOM will begin browsing your folder to identify any available files and DICOM series suitable for upload.

4. After the system identifies the selected files, you will see a list of available DICOM series.

5. Review the displayed series and select the one you want to view.

Some folders selected can contain multiple series, while others have only one. By default, 3DICOM recommends the series with the highest number of images, as these typically offer better resolution for 3D rendering.

6. In the Anonymize section, choose whether to anonymize your scan or edit folder names, then click ‘Next’.

To understand the benefits of anonymizing scans and how to use the anonymization tool, visit Anonymizing Your Scans on 3DICOM.

7. In the Storage section, select your preferred storage option, and hit ‘Next’.

To learn more about your storage options, read the 3DICOM Storage Options help guide. 

8. In the Upload section, check the box if you would like to open the scan in the Viewer immediately after the upload process completes.

Leaving the box unchecked will keep you in the Dashboard.

9. Click ‘Upload’ to complete the process.

A progress bar will appear in the corner of the screen, indicating the upload status.

After uploading, your scan will open in the 3DICOM Viewer (if selected), or appear in the Recent Activity table once the page is refreshed.

Using the Drag & Drop Area

Uploading a Scan (DICOM Files) using the Drag & Drop Area.

Steps to get there:

1. Log in to your 3DICOM account. You will be automatically directed to the dashboard.

2. Navigate to the Upload and View page using the sidebar tab, or the Upload Scan option on the Dashboard.

3. Drag and drop your selected folder into the upload box.

3DICOM will begin browsing your folder to identify any available files and DICOM series suitable for upload.

4. After the system identifies the selected files, you will see a list of available DICOM series.

5. Review the displayed series and select the one you want to view.

Some folders selected can contain multiple series, while others have only one. By default, 3DICOM recommends the series with the highest number of images, as these typically offer better resolution for 3D rendering.

6. In the Anonymize section, choose whether to anonymize your scan or edit folder names, then click ‘Next’.

To understand the benefits of anonymizing scans and how to use the anonymization tool, visit Anonymizing Your Scans on 3DICOM.

7. In the Storage section, select your preferred storage option, and hit ‘Next’.

To learn more about your storage options, read the 3DICOM Storage Options help guide. 

8. In the Upload section, check the box if you would like to open the scan in the Viewer immediately after the upload process completes.

Leaving the box unchecked will keep you in the Dashboard.

9. Click ‘Upload’ to complete the process.

A progress bar will appear in the corner of the screen, indicating the upload status.

After uploading, your scan will open in the 3DICOM Viewer (if selected), or appear in the Recent Activity table once the page is refreshed.

CONCLUSION

Uploading DICOM files from a CD-ROM into 3DICOM is a straightforward process once your computer recognizes the disc. Whether your computer uses a tray-loading drive, a slot-loading drive, or requires an external CD/DVD drive, the key steps remain the same: open the disc, locate your scan dcm files, and copy them into 3DICOM. With your scans uploaded, you’ll be able to view, share, and manage them securely within the 3DICOM platform.