MicroDicom alternatives
MicroDicom is a popular Windows viewer: free for non-commercial use, $99 for a commercial licence, and since mid-2026 it includes 3D MPR and volume rendering. The reasons people look elsewhere are specific: the free licence does not cover clinical work, the ZIP build is only semi-portable, and there is no cardiology measurement set. This page lays out the options against those needs.
By the Hirovix product team · Published 4 Oct 2026 · Facts checked against the sources listed at the end
MicroDicom in brief
As listed on the vendor’s store on the date checked: a perpetual licence costs $99 with maintenance at $19.80 per year, a CD/DVD/USB distribution edition costs $349.99, and non-commercial use is free. A ZIP package can be run without the installer on PCs whose policy allows it, which makes it semi-portable. It plays multi-frame cine, including angiography, and its FAQ covers general radiology use; it does not advertise a QCA toolset.
The alternatives, compared
| Viewer | Listed price | Commercial use | Runs without admin rights on a new PC | Cardiology QCA tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MicroDicom | $99 perpetual + $19.80/yr; free non-commercial; $349.99 CD/DVD/USB edition | Paid licence | Partially (ZIP build, policy permitting) | No |
| RadiAnt | €5/mo, €39/yr, €179 for 5 yrs | Paid licence | No (vendor statement) | No |
| Weasis | Free, open source | Yes | Yes (portable archive) | No |
| SoftDicom (SSD) | $799 to $999 per drive | Yes | Yes | Not advertised |
| PortaDICOM (SSD) | PortaDICOM pricing: one licence per 2 TB SSD, per-site licensing available; contact us for current pricing and a free demo on your own study. | Yes | Yes | Yes (review-grade) |
PortaDICOM is for review and records only; measurements are operator-confirmed estimates, not a primary diagnostic read.
Choosing by need
- You need a free viewer for clinical use: Weasis. Its licence allows commercial use and it ships a portable build.
- You want the cheapest paid general viewer on one PC: MicroDicom or RadiAnt; the difference is taste and whether you value MicroDicom’s perpetual licence or RadiAnt’s interface.
- You move between PCs you do not control: Weasis (free, general radiology) or PortaDICOM (SSD with case library and cardiology tools).
- You work in a cath lab and want review-grade measurements on any PC: PortaDICOM.
What PortaDICOM does differently
It is not an installed program at all. The viewer lives on a 2 TB SSD, licensed to that drive, together with a searchable library of every case you import. It decodes JPEG-Lossless and JPEG 2000 cine from its own engine, plays runs at the true frame rate, and provides calibrated % diameter stenosis, TIMI frame counting, AHA segment tagging and pre/post-PCI comparison. It never needs internet and never uploads a study. PortaDICOM is for review and records only; measurements are operator-confirmed estimates, not a primary diagnostic read.
FAQ
Is MicroDicom free for hospital use?
No. The free licence is for non-commercial use; clinical and institutional use needs the paid licence, listed at $99 per seat plus optional maintenance.
Is MicroDicom portable?
Partly. A ZIP build runs without the installer on PCs that allow it, but it is still an executable launched from removable media and will be blocked where policy forbids that. It is not an SSD-based system like SoftDicom or PortaDICOM.
Does MicroDicom measure stenosis?
It offers general measurement tools and cine playback; it does not advertise a calibrated QCA toolset for percent diameter stenosis, TIMI frame count or AHA segment reporting.
Related guides and comparisons
- ComparisonPortable RadiAnt, or RadiAnt without admin rights: what actually works
- ComparisonRadiAnt DICOM Viewer alternatives for Windows
- ComparisonHoros for Windows: there is no PC version, so what do you use?
- ComparisonWeasis vs PortaDICOM
- ComparisonBrowser viewer, installed viewer, or a viewer on an SSD?
- GuideHow to open a DICOM CD on a Windows PC
Sources
Third-party facts on this page were checked on the date shown at the top. Vendors change prices and features; verify before you buy.
See PortaDICOM on your own scans
A free demo on one of your studies is the fastest way to know it fits — no install, no obligation.