K-PACS is a free Windows DICOM workstation from IMAGE Information Systems. It combines an image viewer, a small local archive and the basic DICOM network services in one program. Small clinics, including dental practices with a CBCT or digital panoramic unit, have used it to receive, store and review studies without buying a full PACS. People searching for “K-PACS software” or “K-PACS download” should know that it is old: the last known version is 1.6, and the program has not been updated for many years.
The developer, now iQ IMAGE (IMAGE Information Systems Europe GmbH), no longer lists K-PACS among its free DICOM tools, although its forum is still called the “K-PACS & ConQuest Forum” and users still post K-PACS questions there. Vendor staff have said on that forum that K-PACS may be used for evaluation and testing but not for commercial purposes, and pointed commercial users to their paid viewer, iQ-VIEW.
K-PACS at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Latest version | 1.6.0 (build 1.6.0.3 was the current build in vendor forum threads from 2009; no newer release has appeared) |
| Licence | Freeware for evaluation, testing and non-commercial use (vendor statement); not open source |
| Platforms | Windows only |
| Developer | IMAGE Information Systems (now iQ IMAGE / IMAGE Information Systems Europe GmbH) |
| Official website | forum.iq-image.com (vendor forum, the only official place K-PACS is still discussed); iq-image.com |
| Best for | Legacy setups, teaching labs and non-commercial DICOM testing on Windows |
What it does
- Views DICOM images, with windowing, zoom and annotation tools (the 1.5 release added round ROI annotations and tools to move and delete annotations).
- Keeps a local image database with a study browser that can list studies by patient and show series thumbnails.
- Implements the core DICOM network services: it receives images (store), queries and retrieves studies from remote archives, and sends images to other DICOM nodes.
- Includes its own DICOM server. In version 1.5 it became multithreaded and accepts up to 10 simultaneous associations.
- Burns patient CDs and DVDs through a built-in library, with a viewer placed on the disc.
- Reads JPEG 2000 compressed DICOM (added in 1.5) as well as uncompressed and JPEG-compressed images.
How dental teams use it
Receiving images from a CBCT or panoramic unit
- In K-PACS’s local settings, give the workstation an AE title and a listening port.
- On the imaging unit or its acquisition software, add K-PACS as a DICOM storage destination with the same AE title, the PC’s IP address and the port.
- Allow that port through Windows Firewall.
- Send a test study and check that it appears in the local database.
If nothing arrives, the cause is almost always a mismatch in AE title, IP or port, or a blocked firewall port. This is also the most common question on the vendor forum.
Pulling old studies from an archive
Add the archive as a remote node (AE title, IP, port). Also register K-PACS on the archive side, because a retrieve (move) request only works if the archive knows where to send the images. Then search by patient name or ID and retrieve the study into the local database.
Giving a patient a disc
Select the study and use the CD/DVD burning function, which writes the images together with a viewer. Test the disc on another Windows PC before handing it over.
Install and first run
Windows: K-PACS installs as an ordinary Windows program. It was built for the Windows XP/Windows 7 era, so run it on a test machine first and do not assume it is supported on current Windows versions. Installing it on a PC that also runs your practice imaging software can cause port conflicts, because both may try to listen on the standard DICOM port. Pick a different port for K-PACS.
macOS and Linux: there is no version. If you see “K-PACS for Mac” on a download site, it is not an official build.
Where to get it: the vendor no longer lists K-PACS on its free-tools page, so copies circulate on third-party sites. Treat them with the usual caution: scan the installer and keep the program off machines that hold your main patient database.
Limitations
- It is no longer developed: no security fixes and no support for newer DICOM features or compression types.
- It is Windows only.
- The vendor’s licence statement excludes commercial use, so a practice using it on real patients should get a maintained, properly licensed viewer.
- It has no dental tools: no panoramic curve reconstruction from CBCT, no implant library and no nerve tracing.
- Security controls are basic compared with a modern PACS; do not expose it to the internet.
K-PACS vs alternatives
For simple viewing on Windows, Sante DICOM Viewer is a current alternative. Mango and ImageJ / Fiji run on Windows, macOS and Linux and are useful for teaching and research. If what you really need is the network side (receiving, forwarding or converting DICOM), the open-source dcm4che command-line tools cover store, query/retrieve and conversion and are actively maintained. For CBCT-specific work such as panoramic reconstruction and implant planning, use your scanner vendor’s software, for example Ez3D Plus, CS Imaging or Sidexis, or a dental package such as OnDemand3D.
FAQ
What is the K-PACS official website?
There is no longer a dedicated product page. The developer’s forum at forum.iq-image.com (the “K-PACS & ConQuest Forum”) is the only official place where K-PACS is still discussed.
Is K-PACS software free?
Yes, it costs nothing, but vendor staff have stated it is for evaluation and testing, not commercial use. Their commercial viewer is iQ-VIEW.
Is K-PACS a DICOM viewer or a PACS?
Both, on a small scale. It views images and also has a local database and a DICOM server that can receive, query/retrieve and send studies. It is a single workstation, not an enterprise archive.
Is there a K-PACS Lite viewer for Mac?
No. K-PACS was only released for Windows. On a Mac, use a cross-platform viewer such as Mango or ImageJ / Fiji.
What is the latest K-PACS version?
1.6.0 is the last version discussed by the vendor. Numbers like 2.5 or 5.x found on download sites do not match any documented release.
What is a good K-PACS alternative?
For viewing, a maintained viewer such as Sante DICOM Viewer or Mango. For DICOM networking and conversion, dcm4che. For dental CBCT work, your scanner vendor’s software.
How do I configure K-PACS to receive images?
Set a local AE title and port in K-PACS, add the same details as a storage destination on the imaging device, open the port in the firewall and send a test study.
Last checked against official sources: 29 September 2026 (developer website: forum.iq-image.com). Versions and licence terms change — confirm on the developer's site before deploying in a clinic.
