DICOM, CD, USB, or QR Code: How to Take Medical Images Home

A radiology report is the radiologist’s written interpretation. It is not the scan itself. An overseas surgeon or specialist may need the original CT, MRI, PET-CT, X-ray, or angiography images to review anatomy, compare change, or plan treatment.

Ask for the DICOM files

DICOM is the standard format commonly used for medical images. The files may come on a CD, USB drive, downloadable archive, cloud viewer, or hospital QR link. A phone photo of the screen is not an adequate substitute.

Ask these questions at the imaging department

Does the download contain original DICOM images or only a PDF report?
Does the link expire or require a Chinese phone number?
Is viewing software included?
Can the files be downloaded outside mainland China?
Are all series included, including contrast phases?
When will the signed written report be ready?

Test the media before leaving

A CD can be blank, a QR link can require a login, and a compressed file can fail to download. Open it on a second device if possible. Check that the patient name, study date, body part, and number of image series look correct.

Do not edit the original folder

Copy the entire export, including small index files that may help a viewer open the study. Do not convert everything to JPEG and discard the source. Send a copy to another doctor; keep the original export unchanged.

Imaging files contain personal data. Use the receiving hospital’s secure upload route when available. Ask who can access the link and how long it remains active. A public cloud link posted in a group chat is not a sensible transfer method.

If the Chinese hospital cannot export immediately

Ask which imaging-records window handles copies, what identification is required, when to return, and whether a representative can collect. Keep the examination barcode and payment record. For surgery planning, obtain the files before flying home, not after the overseas doctor says the report is insufficient.

What to give the next doctor

Provide the original image files, the signed report, study date, hospital name, and a short note explaining whether contrast was used. If several scans exist, label them chronologically without changing the internal files.

For the rest of the record pack: use the guide to medical records, imaging, and official invoices.

Last reviewed: July 16, 2026. Record-copying, image export, pathology lending, translation, portal access, and authorization procedures vary by hospital. Ask the relevant records, imaging, pathology, or international-patient office what it requires.

Sources checked: National Health Commission rules on medical-record copies and electronic-record access; public pathology lending instructions from Chinese hospitals; overseas continuity-of-care guidance.

Medical disclaimer: This page explains practical document handling. It is not medical, privacy, or legal advice.