dcm4chee Archive

dcm4chee Archive 5 is a free, open-source PACS: an image manager and archive for DICOM studies, built as a Java application that runs on the WildFly application server. It is meant for hospital IT teams, imaging networks, universities and larger dental groups that need a standards-based archive with worklists, HL7 integration and fine-grained storage rules. A single dental practice can run it, but it is a bigger system than most practices need.

The project, also known as dcm4chee-arc-light, is developed by the dcm4che open-source community on GitHub. It is licensed under the Mozilla Public License 1.1. A dcm4chee download comes as binary packages on SourceForge or, more commonly, as ready-made Docker images. The same community maintains the dcm4che toolkit of DICOM command-line utilities.

dcm4chee Archive at a glance

What it does

• Stores and serves DICOM over the classic services (C-STORE, C-FIND, C-MOVE, C-GET) and DICOMweb (QIDO-RS, WADO-RS, STOW-RS).
• Modality Worklist and Unified Procedure Step services, so imaging units can pull scheduled patients.
• HL7 v2 interface for patient and order updates from other hospital systems.
• Storage rules: several storage tiers, including cloud object storage such as Amazon S3, retention policies and storage commitment.
• Attribute coercion and de-identification, to fix or clean up headers coming from different devices.
• A browser-based administration and study management UI.
• Central configuration in LDAP, following the DICOM Application Configuration Management Profile.
• Audit logging, with optional Elasticsearch and Kibana dashboards, and Keycloak-based login in the secured images.

How dental teams use it

A shared archive for several clinics

1. Deploy the Docker images (LDAP, PostgreSQL, archive) on a central server.
2. In each clinic’s CBCT or X-ray software, add a DICOM destination: the server address, port 11112 and AE title DCM4CHEE, or the AE titles you configure.
3. Studies from every site land in one archive and can be searched in the web UI.

Viewing studies in a browser

1. Deploy the OHIF Viewer and point it at dcm4chee’s DICOMweb endpoints.
2. Clinicians open studies in OHIF; administrators keep using the dcm4chee UI.
3. The dcm4chee wiki also documents integration with Weasis for desktop viewing.

Scheduled imaging with worklists

Create worklist entries from your scheduling system over HL7, or through the REST interface. CBCT units that support Modality Worklist can then pick the patient from a list instead of retyping demographics.

Install and first run

• Docker (recommended): follow the wiki page “Running on Docker”. You need at least three containers: dcm4che/slapd-dcm4chee (LDAP), dcm4che/postgres-dcm4chee (database) and dcm4che/dcm4chee-arc-psql (archive). The “-secure” image variants add Keycloak authentication.
• Ports: by default the web UI is at http://<host>:8080/dcm4chee-arc/ui2, DICOM runs on 11112, HL7 on 2575 and the WildFly admin console on 9990.
• Manual install: needs Java SE 17 or later, WildFly, an LDAP server (OpenLDAP, OpenDJ or ApacheDS) and a database such as PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB or Oracle. The embedded H2 option is marked “not for production use”.
• Gotcha 1: image versions must match. The archive, LDAP and database images are released together, so upgrade them as a set.
• Gotcha 2: the plain images have an unsecured UI. Use the secured variants, or put the server behind authentication, before real patient data arrives.
• Keep it updated: 5.35.1 fixed a remote-code-execution security advisory, so do not stay on older releases.

Limitations

• Heavy for one practice: WildFly, LDAP and a database to run and back up. Orthanc is far simpler for a single site.
• No built-in diagnostic viewer; you pair it with OHIF, Weasis or another viewer.
• No dental-specific functions: no implant planning, tooth charting or practice management.
• The documentation is a large wiki written for PACS administrators; expect a learning curve.
• The project publishes no FDA or CE clearance; regulatory compliance is up to the operator.

dcm4chee vs alternatives

FAQ

Is dcm4chee free?

Yes. dcm4chee Archive is open source under the Mozilla Public License 1.1, with no licence fee.

Where is the dcm4chee download?

Binary packages are published on SourceForge for each release, and Docker images are on Docker Hub under the dcm4che organisation. Release notes are on GitHub.

How do I install dcm4chee with Docker?

Run the LDAP, PostgreSQL and archive images from the same release, following the “Running on Docker” wiki page, which also describes a minimal single-host set-up.

What is dcm4chee-arc-light?

It is the GitHub name of dcm4chee Archive 5, the current rewrite of the older dcm4chee 2.x.

dcm4che vs dcm4chee: what is the difference?

dcm4che is the Java DICOM library and toolkit. dcm4chee is the archive (PACS) application built on it.

dcm4chee vs Orthanc: which is better for a dental clinic?

For one clinic, Orthanc is easier to install and maintain. dcm4chee makes sense for multi-site groups or hospitals that need worklists, HL7 and strict storage policies.

Does dcm4chee work with OHIF?

Yes. OHIF connects to dcm4chee over DICOMweb, and both projects document the set-up.

Last checked against official sources: 28 September 2026 (developer website: dcm4che.org). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in a clinic.