Guide

Step-by-Step
Getting Started

Choose your role to see the guide tailored for you.

Download the App

Get 3D Baby Viewer from the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.

Open the App Store on your iOS device.
Search for "3D Baby Viewer".
Tap Get to download and install the app.
Once installed, tap Open to launch the app.

Requires iOS 16.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone and iPad.

Get Your Scan File

Request the volumetric DICOM or Kretz file from your clinic.

After your prenatal ultrasound appointment, ask your sonographer or doctor to export the 3D/4D volumetric scan file. The app supports:

Volumetric DICOM — Standard medical format from Siemens, GE, and other machines.
GE Kretz (.vol) — Native volumetric format from GE Healthcare / Voluson series.

The file should be anonymized (no patient name or ID) for your privacy. Your doctor can export it to a USB drive or send it digitally.

The app does not support DICOMDIR or multi-file DICOM series (separate .dcm files per slice). You need a single volumetric DICOM file (multi-frame) or a single GE Kretz (.vol) file.

Avoid files that are compressed or password-protected. The current version of the app has limited support for these — files may not open or display properly.

Show this guide's "Medical Staff" section to your sonographer if they need help exporting.

Transfer to Your Device

Move the scan file to your iPhone or iPad.

Transfer the scan file to your iPhone or iPad using any of these methods:

AirDrop — Wirelessly send from a Mac or another Apple device.
Files app — Save to iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or Dropbox, then open on your device.
Email — Send the file as an attachment and open it on your phone.
USB transfer — Connect the USB drive using a Lightning/USB-C adapter.

Open in 3D Baby Viewer

Import and view your baby in stunning 3D.

Open 3D Baby Viewer on your device.
Tap the "+" button or "Import Scan".
Browse to and select your DICOM or .vol file.
Wait a moment while the app processes and renders the 3D model.
Use pinch to zoom, drag to rotate, and explore your baby in 3D!

Share with Family

Send beautiful 3D moments to your loved ones.

Position your 3D view to the angle you love.
Tap the Share button.
Choose to share via Messages, WhatsApp, Email, or save to your Photo Library.
Your family and friends can see the image — no app required on their end!

The Share button uses the app's internal screenshot feature to capture the current 3D view as an image. No manual screenshot is needed — just position your view and tap Share.

Select your ultrasound machine manufacturer below to see tailored export instructions. All steps ensure no sensitive patient data is included in the exported file.

Siemens Ultrasound Export

For Siemens ACUSON series (S2000, S3000, Sequoia, etc.)

Acquire 3D/4D Volume

Perform the 3D/4D scan as usual using a volumetric probe (e.g., 9L4, RAB6D).
Freeze the image once you have a good 3D volume capture.
Ensure the volume data is displayed (not just a 2D snapshot).

Anonymize Patient Data

Before exporting, go to Patient → End Exam / New Patient.
Start a new blank study without entering any patient name, ID, or date of birth.
Recall the saved volume into this anonymous study.

Always verify the DICOM header contains no patient identifiers before handing the file to the patient. Use a DICOM anonymizer tool as an additional safeguard.

Export as Volumetric DICOM

With the volume selected, go to Archive → Export.
Choose DICOM as the export format.
Select "Volume Data" or "3D/4D Raw Data" (not "Screen Capture" or "Single Frame").
Select the destination: USB drive or network share.
Confirm export. The file will be a multi-frame DICOM containing the full volumetric data.

Ensure you export the volumetric raw data, not a rendered 2D screenshot. The file size should be several MB (typically 5–30 MB).

Do not use "Send to Media" or "Write to CD/DVD" — these create a DICOMDIR structure with separate files. 3D Baby Viewer requires a single volumetric DICOM file, not a DICOMDIR folder or individual slice files.

Do not enable compression or password protection during export. 3D Baby Viewer currently has limited support for compressed or encrypted DICOM files — they may fail to load or render incorrectly.

GE Healthcare Voluson Export

For GE Voluson series (E6, E8, E10, S8, S10, Expert, etc.)

Acquire 3D/4D Volume

Use a 3D/4D volume probe (e.g., RAB4-8-D, RAB6-D, RIC5-9-D).
Capture a 3D or 4D volume and freeze the acquisition.
Optionally, store the volume in the patient archive by pressing Store.

Anonymize Patient Data

End the current exam: press End Exam or start a New Patient.
Begin a new study with all patient fields left blank (no name, no ID, no DOB).
Load the saved volume into this blank/anonymous patient context.
Alternatively, use the Voluson's built-in Anonymize function if available in your software version.

Double-check that exported file headers contain no PHI (Protected Health Information). Verify with a DICOM viewer or anonymizer tool.

Export as Kretz Volume (.vol) or DICOM

GE Voluson machines support two volumetric export formats:

Option A: Kretz Volume (.vol)

Insert a USB drive into the machine.
With the volume displayed, press Export or go to Archive → Send To.
Select "Kretz" or "Volume (.vol)" as the format.
Choose USB as the destination and confirm.

Option B: Volumetric DICOM

Go to Archive → Export / Send To.
Select DICOM format.
Ensure "Volume Data" or "3D Data" is checked (not "2D Screenshot").
Export to USB or PACS as needed.

Kretz (.vol) files are recommended for 3D Baby Viewer as they contain the native volumetric data with optimal quality. Typical file size is 5–40 MB.

Do not export as DICOMDIR or use "Write to CD/DVD" — these create folder structures with separate slice files. 3D Baby Viewer requires a single volumetric file (.vol or multi-frame DICOM), not a DICOMDIR or individual DICOM slice files.

Generic Ultrasound Export

For Philips, Samsung/Medison, Mindray, Canon, and other manufacturers

Acquire 3D/4D Volume

Use your machine's 3D/4D volumetric transducer.
Perform a 3D volume acquisition and freeze the image.
Ensure the volume dataset is captured (not just a rendered 2D surface image).

Anonymize Patient Data

To ensure no sensitive patient data is included:

End the current patient exam.
Start a new study with all patient fields blank — no name, no patient ID, no date of birth.
Recall or move the saved volume into this anonymous context.
If your machine has an Anonymize or De-identify export option, use it.

As a final safeguard, verify the exported DICOM file with a tool like DICOM Anonymizer, Horos, or OsiriX to ensure all PHI tags (0010,0010 Patient Name; 0010,0020 Patient ID; 0010,0030 Birth Date) are empty or removed.

Export Volumetric DICOM

Navigate to your machine's Export, Archive, or Send To menu.
Choose DICOM as the export format.
Select the data type: look for "Volume Data", "3D Raw Data", or "Multi-frame".
Avoid exporting as "Screen Capture", "Secondary Capture", or "Single Frame" — these are only 2D images.
Export to a USB drive or DICOM media.

The exported volumetric DICOM file should be several MB (5–30 MB). If the file is only a few KB, it's likely a 2D screenshot — not usable for 3D rendering.

Do not export as DICOMDIR or "Write to CD" — these create folder structures with separate .dcm files per slice. 3D Baby Viewer requires a single volumetric DICOM file (multi-frame), not a DICOMDIR or individual slice files.

Step-by-Step Getting Started

Download the App

Get Your Scan File

Transfer to Your Device

Open in 3D Baby Viewer

Share with Family

Siemens Ultrasound Export

Acquire 3D/4D Volume

Anonymize Patient Data

Export as Volumetric DICOM

GE Healthcare Voluson Export

Acquire 3D/4D Volume

Anonymize Patient Data

Export as Kretz Volume (.vol) or DICOM

Option A: Kretz Volume (.vol)

Option B: Volumetric DICOM

Generic Ultrasound Export

Acquire 3D/4D Volume

Anonymize Patient Data

Export Volumetric DICOM

Step-by-Step
Getting Started