DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standard used in healthcare to store, share, and transfer medical images such as X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds. It is flexible because it can be adapted to different imaging machines or modalities. For example, an MRI image and an ultrasound image have very different data, but DICOM makes sure both can be read and understood by hospital systems. This flexibility helps doctors and hospitals share patient images safely, even if the machines come from different manufacturers. Another important feature is that DICOM also stores patient information along with the image, making it easier to organize medical records.