Digital systems use discrete numerical values or non-numeric symbols for input, processing, transmission, storage, or display rather than being composed of variable voltage, acoustic field or electromagnetic field.

(DICOM) DICOM is the industry standard for transferral of radiologic images and other medical information between computers. Patterned after the Open System Interconnection of the International Standards Organization, DICOM enables digital communication between diagnostic and therapeutic equipment and systems from various manufacturers.
The DICOM 3.0 standard evolved from versions 1.0 (1985) and 2.0 (1988) of a standard developed by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). To support the implementation and demonstration of DICOM 3.0, the RSNA Electronic Communications Committee began to work with the ACR-NEMA MedPacs ad hoc section in 1992.
Also Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS), which are connected with the Radiology Information System (RIS), use commonly the DICOM standard for the transfer and storage of medical images.

See also Barcode, Annotation, Printer and Diagnostic Imaging.

The digital mammography is an electronic imaging procedure of the breast. The number of breast imaging facilities equipped with digital mammography (also called computed radiography mammogram (CRM), CR mammogram) is growing due to a number of advantages.
Digital images can be stored directly in a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) and allows the printing, enhancement, magnification, or brightness and contrast manipulation for further evaluation. The sensitivity of digital mammography compared to film mammography is better in women with dense breasts, a population at higher risk for breast cancer, due to these post processing possibilities.
'The American College of Radiology's (ACR) Imaging Network found that digital mammography detected up to 28 percent more cancers than film-screen mammography in women age 50 and younger, premenopausal and perimenopausal women, and women with dense breasts, as reported in October 2005 in the New England Journal of Medicine.'

Advantages of digital mammography:
Existing mammography equipment can be converted to 'digital' operation, which allows cost savings compared to integrated digital mammography systems.

See also Breast MRI.

(DR) Digital radiography uses a special electronic x-ray detector, which converts the radiographic image into a digital picture for review on a computer monitor. The digital image is then stored and can be post processed by changing the magnification, orientation, brightness, and contrast. Digital radiography (also called direct radiography) is a progressive development of computed radiography (CR).
These advantages can lead to fewer 'recalls' (repeated x-ray images) including a lower radiation dose than analog or conventional radiography. DR and CR systems use no chemicals to process the x-ray images and the hazardous materials and waste associated with film development are eliminated.

Advantages of digital radiography compared with conventional radiography:

(DSA) Digital subtraction angiography is a radiographic imaging technique to visualize the blood vessels in the human body. DSA images are produced by the (computer) subtraction of pre-contrast images (the mask) from images after introduction of a contrast medium. Subtracting background structures and enhancing the contrast provides the visualization of blood vessels in a bony or dense soft tissue environment. The images are produced in real time, as the contrast agent is injected into the blood vessels.