Sending Your Imaging to a Colombian Orthopedic Surgeon: DICOM, Reports, and What They Need

The surgeon cannot quote your case without seeing your imaging. Here is how to get it out of one system and into another.

Every orthopedic evaluation abroad starts with imaging review. The Colombian surgeon needs to see your X-rays, MRI, or CT scan, not just read the radiologist's report, to assess whether you are a surgical candidate, plan the approach, and provide an accurate quote. Getting those images from a US facility to a Colombian surgeon's inbox is straightforward once you know the format, the request process, and the common pitfalls.

DICOM: the universal imaging format

Medical images are stored in a format called DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine). A DICOM file contains the actual image data plus metadata about the patient, the scan parameters, and the equipment used. When a radiologist reads your MRI on a computer screen, they are viewing DICOM files. When you need to share those images with another physician, you need the DICOM files, not a PDF of the report and not a photograph of the screen.

How to request your images

Under US law (HIPAA), you have the right to obtain copies of your medical images. The process varies by facility but generally follows one of three paths:

What to send

For an orthopedic evaluation, the surgeon typically needs:

• X-rays of the affected joint: AP (front) and lateral (side) views at minimum. For knees, weight-bearing (standing) views are essential. Non-weight-bearing knee X-rays underestimate the degree of arthritis.
• MRI (if available): Required for soft tissue evaluation (meniscus tears, labral tears, rotator cuff tears, spinal disc pathology). An MRI older than 6 to 12 months may need to be repeated.
• CT scan (if available): Used for complex fractures, revision surgery planning, and spinal cases where bony detail matters more than soft tissue.
• The radiologist's report: Send this alongside the images, not instead of them. The report provides context, but the surgeon will form their own interpretation from the images.
• Prior operative reports: If you have had previous surgery on the affected joint, send the operative report. This tells the Colombian surgeon exactly what was done, what implant was used, and what the intra-operative findings were.

Common pitfalls

Other pitfalls: sending images as phone photographs of a lightbox or computer screen (too low resolution for surgical planning), sending only selected slices rather than the full study, and sending images from an outdated study without mentioning the date. The surgeon may request new imaging in Colombia if the existing study is too old or insufficient, so be prepared for that possibility and its cost ($100 to $300 for X-rays, $300 to $600 for MRI at Colombian private facilities).

The handoff checklist

• DICOM files of all relevant imaging studies (X-ray, MRI, CT)
• Radiologist report for each study
• Operative report from any prior surgery on the same joint
• Implant identification card (if you have an existing implant)
• Current medication list with doses
• Medical clearance letter from your primary care physician or cardiologist (if over 65 or with comorbidities)
• Brief medical history summary: age, height, weight, relevant diagnoses, allergies

Send everything in a single email or cloud link. Fragmented communication (images in one email, report in another, medication list on WhatsApp) creates confusion and delays. A Colombian coordinator processing 20 international patients at once needs your complete case file in one place.

File size and transfer logistics

DICOM files are large. A knee MRI study typically runs 200 to 500 MB. A CT scan of the lumbar spine can exceed 1 GB. A full set of imaging (X-rays, MRI, and CT) for a spine case might total 2 to 3 GB. Email attachments are limited to 25 MB on most platforms, so email is not a viable transfer method for full imaging studies.

The most practical options: burn the images to a disc and mail it (slow but reliable); upload the DICOM files to a cloud storage service (Google Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer) and share the link via email (fast and free for most file sizes); or use a medical-grade DICOM sharing platform like Ambra Health or Purview, which maintain image quality and provide HIPAA-compliant transfer. The Colombian coordinator will tell you which method they prefer. If they do not specify, use a cloud sharing link. It is the fastest option for the patient and the easiest to access on the receiving end.