Inside the DICOM Standard with David Clunie: Past, Present, and Future of Medical Imaging Interoperability

In this episode of Imaging Informatics Unplugged, we sit down with the legendary David Clunie — radiologist, medical informaticist, and longtime editor of the DICOM standard. If you’ve ever worked in medical imaging, you’ve likely used a tool or reference authored by David, and today, we get to dive deep into his incredible journey.We explore the history of DICOM, the role of open standards, current barriers to interoperability, and what the future of digital pathology could look like. Whether you’re a PACS admin, clinical informaticist, vendor rep, or standards geek, this episode delivers rare insights from one of the most influential minds in the field.💬 What you’ll learn in this episode: • How DICOM emerged and evolved into the global imaging standard • The complementary roles of HL7, FHIR, and IHE frameworks • Why digital pathology has faced more resistance than radiology • The technical and business barriers to interoperability • How metadata and conformance still present challenges for vendors and healthcare organizations • Predictions for the next decade of imaging standards and AI-enabled workflows🔗 Connect with David Clunie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dclunie/⸻⏱ Chapters00:00 – The Evolution of DICOM: A Historical Perspective10:10 – The Role of Open Standards in Imaging19:49 – Challenges in Digital Pathology and Interoperability28:20 – Barriers to Interoperability in Pathology30:50 – The Business Case for Digital Pathology35:00 – Evolution of DICOM Standards39:48 – The Future of DICOM and Digital Pathology⸻🎧 Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4DAxDXd…📺 Watch on YouTube:/@nagelsconsulting⸻📌 Stay Connected:✅ Subscribe for more:/@nagelsconsulting🌐 Website: https://www.nagelsconsulting.com🎓 Courses: https://learn.nagelsconsulting.com🔗 LinkedIn: /nagels-consulting