Frequently Asked Questions

No. Scan Instant processes your files entirely inside your browser using JavaScript. Your imaging data never leaves your device and is never transmitted to any server.

Closing the browser tab permanently discards all loaded data. We have no technical ability to access your images — the architecture makes it impossible.

During the viewing session, yes. All processing is local to your browser, so personal data embedded in DICOM tags — patient name, date of birth, scan date — never leaves your device.

Because we never receive your data, we cannot act as a data processor for your institution. However, your institution's own compliance requirements may still apply — for example, EU and UK healthcare institutions may be required to conduct a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) before using any software tool with patient data at scale.

No cookies are set by Scan Instant. We do not operate any analytics service.

The app stores two small items in your browser's local storage: your custom viewing presets, and a one-time flag that prevents a welcome message from appearing more than once. Neither contains imaging data. You can clear both at any time by clearing your browser's local storage.

Our hosting provider retains standard server access logs for operational purposes, but these contain no imaging data. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Yes. Open app.scaninstant.com in Safari on your iPhone or iPad — no installation required. Most typical desktop DICOM viewers are Windows-only and have no native iPhone or iPad support.

You can also install Scan Instant to your home screen as a Progressive Web App (PWA) via the Share → Add to Home Screen option in Safari.

Yes. Scan Instant works in Chrome on Android. Open app.scaninstant.com and tap "Add to Home Screen" in Chrome's menu to install it as a PWA for quick access.

Some DICOM files use compressed transfer syntaxes that certain viewers handle poorly or not at all. Scan Instant includes a full JPEG 2000 decoder (via WebAssembly), a JPEG Lossless decoder, and an RLE decoder, and can open many compressed DICOM files that other viewers fail on.

• DICOM (.dcm) — including multi-frame series. Supported compressed transfer syntaxes: JPEG Baseline 8-bit, JPEG Lossless (P14), JPEG 2000 lossy/lossless, and RLE Lossless. Extensionless DICOM files also work.
• Not currently supported: JPEG-LS (TS 4.80/4.81), JPEG Extended 12-bit (TS 4.51).
• NIfTI (.nii, .nii.gz) — the format used in neuroimaging research and brain MRI analysis, including NIfTI-2. Most DICOM viewers do not support NIfTI at all.
• ZIP archives — drop a ZIP containing a DICOM series and it opens as a full study.

Yes — completely free, with no trial period, no account, and no feature restrictions. There is no paid tier. Unlike some typical desktop viewers that require a paid licence after a trial period, Scan Instant places no restrictions on use.

Typical desktop DICOM viewers are established Windows applications with broad feature sets but require installation, admin rights, and are unavailable on mobile devices. Scan Instant is a free, browser-based alternative with no installation required, accessible on any device including iPhone, Android, and tablet.

Scan Instant supports various compressed transfer syntaxes, including all four JPEG 2000 variants, JPEG Lossless, and RLE — covering many files that typical free desktop viewers struggle with.

DICOM is the standard format used by medical imaging equipment — MRI, CT, X-ray, PET scanners. Patient CDs from hospitals typically contain DICOM files.

NIfTI is a format used primarily in neuroimaging research and brain MRI analysis pipelines. It is common in academic and research settings but rarely seen in clinical radiology workflows.

Scan Instant is one of the few free viewers that supports both formats in the same tool.

No. Scan Instant is a general-purpose file viewer for DICOM and NIfTI formats — the same file formats used by medical imaging equipment. It is not FDA cleared, CE marked, or certified as a medical device under any regulatory framework, and is not designed or intended for diagnostic use.

It must not be used for clinical purposes, as the primary or sole basis for clinical decisions, or in any way that affects patient management or treatment decisions. For diagnostic reporting, use a certified RIS/PACS workstation.

No. There is no account, no registration, no email required. Open the app and drop your file.

Scan Instant processes all data locally on your device. If you choose to load files containing personal data, you remain responsible for that data. Specific responsibilities include:

• Exported reports: HTML report files generated by the app may contain patient identifiers (such as Name and Study Date) in unencrypted form. You are responsible for their secure handling, storage, and deletion.
• Clinical decisions: Scan Instant is not a diagnostic tool and must not be used for clinical purposes or in any way that affects patient management or treatment decisions. For diagnostic reporting, always use a certified RIS/PACS workstation.
• Institutional compliance: Your institution's own data governance and regulatory requirements continue to apply regardless of Scan Instant's privacy architecture.