How We Build Our DICOM Viewers Using Plugins

One thing we focus on when building DICOM viewers is keeping every feature as a separate plugin. This gives the app a clean structure and makes it easy to add, remove, or customize modules based on client needs.

Layout types (MPR, MPR + VR, MPR + 3D Mesh) are plugins. Measurement tools (distance, angle, etc.) are plugins. Everything stays modular.

We usually work with VTK + Trame, then integrate the viewer into a full-stack app.

The idea is simple: define how each plugin receives inputs and sends outputs, and it will fit into the viewer without interfering with others, just like extensions in 3D Slicer.

This approach keeps the core app stable while giving us the flexibility to build custom features quickly.

A Quick Look at 3D Printing in Medicine

3D printing is becoming a major player in healthcare. It’s no longer just a futuristic idea, many practical applications already exist. According to the article, 3D printing is now used to create personalized medical equipment, including splints that cost only cents to produce, surgical planning models, and even life-saving bioresorbable devices for airway support in infants.

The technology is also advancing in prosthetics and implants, making customization faster and more affordable, especially for patients in low-resource settings. Research teams are exploring 3D-printed bone scaffolds, heart valves, and synthetic skin. Some groups have even printed early versions of blood vessels and small organ structures.

In pharmaceuticals, the FDA has already approved 3D-printed drugs, and clinical trials are underway for personalized pediatric medications produced directly on demand.

We’re still far from printing fully functional organs, but the progress across equipment, implants, tissues, and drug manufacturing shows how quickly the field is moving.