The short answer: choose MicroDicom if you work on Windows, want a small viewer that opens a patient disc in a minute, and use it for personal, educational or non-clinical purposes. Choose Weasis if you want a free open-source viewer with no non-commercial restriction, one that also runs on Mac and Linux and can talk to a PACS. Neither is a replacement for the certified software that ships with your CBCT unit.
This comparison is for dentists, dental students, technicians and clinic IT staff who need to open CBCT scans and X-rays. Status: Not tested yet. Facts come from the developers’ own pages and our verified MicroDicom page, checked on 20 October 2026. Prepared by the dentsoftpro editorial team.
Side by side
| Item | MicroDicom | Weasis |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Free for non-commercial use; commercial use needs a licence from the vendor. Proprietary | Free and open source (EPL 2.0 / Apache 2.0) |
| Windows | Windows 7 to 11, x86 and x64 | Windows 10 or higher (MSI, x86-64) |
| macOS | No native version; runs through Wine or CrossOver | Native PKG for Apple Silicon (macOS 12+) and Intel (macOS 11+) |
| Linux | Not supported officially | DEB and RPM packages |
| 3D tools | 3D MPR and volume rendering since version 2026.3 | MPR, oblique and curved MPR, volume rendering |
| Patient discs | Opens DICOMDIR from CDs | Imports from a folder, USB drive or DICOM CD/DVD; exports to DICOMDIR |
| PACS | PACS client with DICOMweb | DICOMweb and DIMSE |
| Clinical status | No CE mark or FDA approval; not for diagnosis or clinical use, says the vendor | We found no CE or FDA statement on the pages we checked; confirm your local rules |
| Current version checked | 2026.3 (10 June 2026) | 4.7.3 (4.8 listed as preview) |
Licence: the biggest difference
MicroDicom is free only for non-commercial use. The vendor sells a licence for commercial use, and a private dental practice is likely to count as commercial, so read the terms on the MicroDicom FAQ before you put it on a reception or surgery PC. We do not quote prices here.
Weasis is dual-licensed under EPL 2.0 and Apache 2.0, and its source is on GitHub. That removes the question of whether your use is commercial. It does not make the software a medical device, so the clinical-use question is separate. Developer site: weasis.org.
Opening a CBCT disc
Both programs handle the usual case: a disc or USB stick from an imaging centre with a DICOMDIR file and subfolders of slices. MicroDicom is built around this job and has a portable ZIP edition for locked-down PCs, which helps when you cannot install software. Our step-by-step guide is in How to Open a Dental CBCT Disc in MicroDicom.
Weasis reads from a local folder, a USB drive or a DICOM CD. On a laptop without an optical drive, copy the disc contents to a folder or use an external reader. Weasis can also export a selection to DICOMDIR, ZIP, or an ISO with an embedded viewer, which is useful when you pass a case to a colleague.
3D views and measurements
For implant planning discussions and airway or sinus review, you want coronal and sagittal planes from the axial stack. Weasis lists oblique MPR, curved MPR and volume rendering. MicroDicom added 3D MPR with MIP, MinIP and slab thickness, plus volume rendering, in version 2026.3. Both offer distance and angle measurements; calibrate first if the image lacks pixel spacing data. How they compare on a large CBCT volume (speed, memory) is Not tested yet, so we make no claim.
Sharing and anonymising
MicroDicom lists anonymisation of DICOM images before sharing, plus export to JPEG, PNG, TIFF and video. For Weasis we confirmed export to DICOMDIR, ZIP, TIFF, JPEG and PNG, but we did not find anonymisation described in the documentation we read, so check the current version before relying on it. If you must remove patient data, see our DICOM anonymisation guide.
Installing on a clinic PC
MicroDicom is a Windows application. It is a small installation, and the portable ZIP editions run without installing anything, so it suits a shared or locked-down workstation. Weasis ships as a normal installer for each system: an MSI on Windows 10 or higher, PKG files on macOS, and DEB or RPM packages on Linux. The vendor says it runs without extra frameworks such as Java. For managed clinic networks, an open-source licence also makes it easier to document what is installed and why. Whichever you pick, get the installer only from the developer’s own site, keep a note of the version, and check it again after major operating-system updates.
Which one should you use
- Windows PC, quick look at a patient disc, personal or educational use: MicroDicom.
- Mac or Linux: Weasis. See also Best Free DICOM and CBCT Viewer for Mac.
- Clinic or lab where the licence must be unambiguous: Weasis, or buy the MicroDicom commercial licence.
- Connecting to a PACS: both list DICOMweb; Weasis also lists DIMSE.
- Looking for more options: the free DICOM viewers hub and JiveX DICOM Viewer Free Edition.
Version numbers and licence terms change, so confirm them on the developer’s page. This article is not legal or regulatory advice, and neither viewer should be used for primary diagnosis unless your local regulations and the vendor allow it.
FAQ
Is MicroDicom viewer free?
Yes for non-commercial use. Commercial use requires a licence from the vendor.
Is MicroDicom open source?
No. It is proprietary software. Weasis is the open-source option (EPL 2.0 / Apache 2.0).
Is MicroDicom FDA approved?
No. The vendor states it has no CE mark, no FDA approval and no other medical-device approval, and must not be used for diagnosis or clinical purposes.
Is there a MicroDicom alternative for Mac?
Weasis has a native macOS installer for Apple Silicon and Intel. MicroDicom runs on a Mac only through Wine or CrossOver.
Can Weasis open a dental CBCT disc?
Yes. It imports from a local folder, a USB drive or a DICOM CD/DVD.
Which is better, MicroDicom or Weasis?
Weasis for cross-platform and open-source needs, MicroDicom for a light Windows viewer where its licence terms fit your use.
Last updated: 20 October 2026 · DentSoftPro editorial team. Licence, version and platform details are checked against each developer's official documentation; none of the tools listed here should be treated as a certified medical device unless its vendor says so.
