Merge Healthcare Releases Updated DICOM Toolkit

Newest version supports latest supplements for medical imaging software development

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merge Healthcare (NASDAQ: MRGE), a leading medical imaging solutions provider, today announced the release of MergeCOM-3™ Version 3.9, which adds the latest DICOM standard supplements to its industry-leading DICOM toolkit. Medical imaging software developers depend on MergeCOM-3 to jump start product innovation by providing much of the code needed to incorporate the DICOM standard. This standard is the basic "language" by which all medical imaging devices and systems communicate, and it is constantly improving to match the clinical needs of the industry. Over the past 20 years, Merge has developed a leadership role in consistently bringing the latest standards to the development community.

Version 3.9 contains support for important new standard supplements for nuclear medicine (supplement 117), pathology (supplement 122) and ophthalmology (supplement 130), supporting the broader adoption of DICOM into new imaging areas. In addition, it provides even more flexibility for developers to work in different programming platforms, specifically in the .Net™ and 64-bit environments. Beyond the updated clinical standards, developers rely on Merge to provide these within each development platform they might use to write the new code. Merge has continued to update toolkit capabilities into existing and new development platforms, and now includes availability in Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Vista, Linux and Unix operating systems; and C/C++, C#/.Net and Java programming platforms.

"This release of MergeCOM-3 will be a key part of facilitating the adoption of the DICOM standard in new imaging areas, as well as a cornerstone of delivering a robust platform for fully interoperable imaging systems" said Antonia Wells, President of the Merge OEM division. "It also underscores our commitment to continue to build the most comprehensive DICOM toolkits in the market today. As a member of the DICOM Standards Committee, it is our policy to incorporate all significant changes to the DICOM standard within 3 months of adoption by the Committee".

MergeCOM toolkits have been an industry leader from the very beginning of the DICOM standard, and are used in many of today’s medical imaging devices and systems. The most recent version of the MergeCOM-3 toolkit and related documentation is available for download at www.mergecom3.com.

Merge Healthcare’s solutions solve mission-critical issues for radiology practices, outpatient imaging centers, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers worldwide. Our technologies and toolkits help companies provide innovative imaging applications to their customers. For additional information, visit www.merge.com/oem.