DICOM Filmbox Printing vs Session Printing

This article demonstrates how to use DicomObjects.NET and Core version to perform FilmBox printing and Session Printing.

For more general information on DICOM Printing please check DICOM-Print-Service

The main difference between Filmbox printing and Session Printing is the result can be one print per filmbox for FilmBox printing and one single print (such as multi-page PDF) for the entire session. How the Print SCP handles Session Printing is application specific and out of the scope of this article.

Filmbox Printing (Default)

 DicomPrint printer = new DicomPrint()
 {
	Colour = True,
	Format = "STANDARD\1,1",
	Orientation = "PORTRAIT",
	FilmSize = "8INX10IN",
	PrintMode = DicomPrint.PrintingMode.FilmBoxPrinting
 };

 printer.Open("localhost", 104, "printSCP", "printSCU");
 printer.FilmBox.Add(Keyword.MagnificationType, "NONE");

 // When a filmbox is filled up with Imageboxes, PrintImage call will fire N-ACTION for that Filmbox            
 foreach (DicomImage img in Viewer.Images)
	printer.PrintImage(img, true, true);
 
 // any pending imageboxes on the last filmbox, we will fire another N-ACTION to print that filmbox	
 printer.Close();

Session Printing

 DicomPrint printer = new DicomPrint()
 {
	Colour = True,
	Format = "STANDARD\1,1",
	Orientation = "PORTRAIT",
	FilmSize = "8INX10IN",
	PrintMode = DicomPrint.PrintingMode.SessionPrinting
 };

 printer.Open("localhost", 104, "printSCP", "printSCU"); 
            
 foreach (DicomImage img in Viewer.Images)
 {
	printer.FilmBox.Add(Keyword.MagnificationType, "NONE");
	// this adds the Image to Imagebox, but does not fire N-ACTION as we are in Session printing mode
	printer.PrintImage(img, false, true);
 }

 // fires a single N-ACTION request and asks the Print SCP to print the entire session
 // no need to call printer.Close() in this case
 printer.PrintSession();