Convert Dicom to JPG in Java

JDeli is a pure Java library that converts DICOM to JPG without native dependencies. It accepts File, InputStream, and byte[] input, and supports batch conversion from the command line.

DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is the standard format for medical imaging, embedding both image data and patient or acquisition metadata. Converting to a standard format is required to view medical images outside clinical systems.

Why use JDeli instead of Java ImageIO

Java’s built-in ImageIO cannot read DICOM. JDeli provides a pure Java decoder with no native dependencies required.

To run the code examples you will need to download the JDeli jar:

Download JDeli

Convert DICOM to JPG in one line of code

The JDeli.convert() methods allow you to save DICOM as JPG in just ONE line of code!

Using File

JDeli.convert(File inFile, File outFile);
JDeli.convert(File inFile, EncoderOptions encoderOptions, File outfile);
JDeli.convert(File inFile, File outfile, ImageProcessingOps imageProcessingOps);

Using InputStream and OutputStream

JDeli.convert(InputStream inputStream, OutputStream outputStream, "jpg");
JDeli.convert(InputStream inputStream, EncoderOptions encoderOptions, OutputStream outputStream);
JDeli.convert(InputStream inputStream, OutputStream outputStream, ImageProcessingOps imageProcessingOps);

Using byte[]

byte[] outputData = JDeli.convert(byte[] inputData, "jpg");
byte[] outputData = JDeli.convert(byte[] inputData, EncoderOptions encoderOptions);
byte[] outputData = JDeli.convert(byte[] inputData, "jpg", ImageProcessingOps imageProcessingOps);

Batch convert DICOM to JPG from command line

Change image formats from command line or bash, bat, and powershell scripts. This method can also be used to invoke JDeli from any programming language that allows you to create a child process.

java -jar jdeli.jar --convert jpg "inputFileOrDir" "outputDir"

How to convert from DICOM into JPG in Java as separate steps

Sometimes there is a requirement to convert between formats as separate steps. JDeli also allows the image to be read in as a BufferedImage and then written out later.

1. Read DICOM image into Java

   BufferedImage bufferedImage = JDeli.read(new File("dicomImageFile.dicom"));  
   

2. Process image if needed (scale, sharpen, lighten, watermark, etc)

   bufferedImage = operations.apply(BufferedImage bufferedImage); // Optional
   

3. Write out BufferedImage as JPG image file

   JDeli.write(bufferedImage, "jpg", new File("jpgImageFile.jpg"));
   

Frequently asked questions

Does Java support DICOM natively?

No. ImageIO cannot read DICOM. JDeli provides a pure Java decoder with no native dependencies required.

Can I convert DICOM to JPG without installing native libraries?

Yes. JDeli is a pure Java library. It runs on any platform where the JVM runs with no additional installation.

What input types does JDeli accept for DICOM conversion?

JDeli accepts File, InputStream, and byte[] as input. Output can be written to a File, OutputStream, or returned as byte[].

Can I process the image during conversion?

Yes. All JDeli.convert() variants accept an ImageProcessingOps parameter, so you can scale, sharpen, watermark, and apply other operations in the same step. The two-step read/write approach also supports this if you need more control.

Which Java library supports DICOM to JPG conversion without native dependencies?

JDeli. It is a pure Java library with no JNI, no native binaries, and no system library requirements. It runs on any standard JVM, including containerised and air-gapped deployments.

View Javadoc

Related conversions

See the JDeli conversion overview for a full list of supported format conversions.