Most imaging centers still provide medical scans on a DICOM CD or DVD. iPhones and iPads don't have disc drives, but you can easily transfer the files to your device and view them completely offline. This guide covers three methods.
Method 1: Via Mac + AirDrop (Fastest)
01
Insert CD on Mac
Insert the DICOM CD. It will appear in Finder under Locations. Open it and browse the contents — you'll see DICOM files (.dcm), folders, or a viewer application.
02
Copy to Desktop
Select all DICOM files or the study folder (usually named DICOM, IMAGES, or the patient ID). Drag to your Desktop.
03
Compress to ZIP
Right-click the folder → Compress. This creates a single ZIP file. MedScan handles ZIP archives natively, including nested folder structures.
04
AirDrop to iPhone/iPad
Right-click the ZIP → Share → AirDrop → select your device. Accept on the iPhone — the file opens in Files app.
05
Open in MedScan
Long-press the ZIP in Files app → Share → Open in MedScan. Or open MedScan, tap "+", select the ZIP from Files.
Method 2: Via iCloud Drive
1. Copy the DICOM folder from the CD to a folder in iCloud Drive on your Mac.
2. On iPhone, open the Files app → iCloud Drive. Navigate to your folder. Tap any .dcm file or the whole folder.
3. Open MedScan → tap “+” → iCloud Drive → select your study folder. MedScan will recursively scan for all DICOM files.
Note: Large CT studies (500+ slices) can be 200–500 MB. Make sure you have sufficient iCloud storage and a stable connection for the initial sync.
Method 3: Via Windows + USB Cable
1. Insert the CD on a Windows PC. Copy DICOM files to a folder.
2. Connect iPhone via USB. In File Explorer, navigate to the iPhone storage under “This PC.”
3. Alternatively, upload the folder to Google Drive on PC, then open the Google Drive app on iPhone and download it. Open with MedScan from the Files app.
What If the CD Has a Viewer App?
Many DICOM CDs include a Windows-only viewer executable (.exe). Ignore it — you only need the DICOM files themselves. Look for a folder named DICOM, IMAGES, SCAN, or a folder with a patient ID. Inside, you'll find .dcm files (sometimes without extensions). MedScan handles all of these.
Troubleshooting
Files have no .dcm extension
Some systems export DICOM without an extension. MedScan detects DICOM by file header (magic bytes), not extension. Just import the folder as-is.
ZIP won't open / shows error
Some DICOM CDs create non-standard ZIP structures. Try importing the folder directly via iCloud Drive instead of zipping first.
Study appears empty or partial
The CD may use a folder structure that splits series across subfolders. Select the top-level folder when importing — MedScan scans recursively.
Very slow import on large studies
CT studies can be 2000+ slices. MedScan parses in parallel — a 2000-slice study typically takes 5–10 seconds on first import, then reopens in 33ms.
Once imported — fully offline
After the initial transfer, MedScan stores the study locally. No internet needed to reopen or review it. The study stays on your device until you delete it.
