diff --git a/invesalius/gui/dicom_preview_panel.py b/invesalius/gui/dicom_preview_panel.py
index d7f4f32..40b7298 100755
--- a/invesalius/gui/dicom_preview_panel.py
+++ b/invesalius/gui/dicom_preview_panel.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #TODO: To create a beautiful API
 import time
+import tempfile
 
 import wx
 import vtk
@@ -34,6 +35,8 @@ from reader import dicom_reader
 import data.vtk_utils as vtku
 import utils
 import vtkgdcm
+
+
 NROWS = 3
 NCOLS = 6
 NUM_PREVIEWS = NCOLS*NROWS
@@ -102,31 +105,18 @@ class DicomInfo(object):
         self.subtitle = subtitle
         self._preview = None
         self.selected = False
+        self.filename = ""
 
     @property
     def preview(self):
-        rdicom = vtkgdcm.vtkGDCMImageReader()
-        if self._preview:
-            return self._preview
-        else:
-            rdicom.SetFileName(self.dicom.image.file)
-            rdicom.Update()
-
-            colorer = vtk.vtkImageMapToWindowLevelColors()
-            colorer.SetInput(rdicom.GetOutput())
-            colorer.SetWindow(float(self.dicom.image.window))
-            colorer.SetLevel(float(self.dicom.image.level))
-            colorer.SetOutputFormatToRGB()
-            colorer.Update()
-
-            width, height, z = colorer.GetOutput().GetDimensions()
-
-            r = colorer.GetOutput().GetPointData().GetScalars()
-            ni = numpy_support.vtk_to_numpy(r)
-            self.img = wx.ImageFromBuffer(width, height, ni)
-            self._preview = self.img.Mirror(False)
-            return self._preview
-
+        
+        if not self._preview:
+            bmp = wx.Bitmap(self.dicom.image.thumbnail_path, wx.BITMAP_TYPE_PNG)
+            self._preview = bmp.ConvertToImage()
+        return self._preview
+        
+    def release_thumbnail(self):
+        self._preview = None
 
 class DicomPaintPanel(wx.Panel):
     def __init__(self, parent):
@@ -238,6 +228,9 @@ class Preview(wx.Panel):
         """
         Set a dicom to preview.
         """
+        if self.dicom_info:
+            self.dicom_info.release_thumbnail()
+
         self.dicom_info = dicom_info
         self.SetTitle(dicom_info.title)
         self.SetSubtitle(dicom_info.subtitle)
@@ -409,7 +402,6 @@ class DicomPreviewSeries(wx.Panel):
     def _display_previews(self):
         initial = self.displayed_position * NCOLS
         final = initial + NUM_PREVIEWS
-
         if len(self.files) < final:
             for i in xrange(final-len(self.files)):
                 try:
@@ -557,7 +549,6 @@ class DicomPreviewSlice(wx.Panel):
     def _display_previews(self):
         initial = self.displayed_position * NCOLS
         final = initial + NUM_PREVIEWS
-
         if len(self.files) < final:
             for i in xrange(final-len(self.files)):
                 try:
diff --git a/invesalius/reader/dicom.py b/invesalius/reader/dicom.py
index ed2e2a1..f2ea447 100644
--- a/invesalius/reader/dicom.py
+++ b/invesalius/reader/dicom.py
@@ -139,9 +139,10 @@ class Parser():
     #    return None#self.vtkgdcm_reader.GetOutput()
 
 
-    def SetDataImage(self, data_image, filename):
+    def SetDataImage(self, data_image, filename, thumbnail_path):
         self.data_image = data_image
         self.filename = self.filepath = filename    
+        self.thumbnail_path = thumbnail_path
 
     def __format_time(self,value):
         sp1 = value.split(".")
@@ -1931,6 +1932,7 @@ class Image(object):
         self.size = (parser.GetDimensionX(), parser.GetDimensionY())
         #self.imagedata = parser.GetImageData()
         self.bits_allocad = parser._GetBitsAllocated()
+        self.thumbnail_path = parser.thumbnail_path
 
         if (parser.GetImageThickness()):
             try:
diff --git a/invesalius/reader/dicom_reader.py b/invesalius/reader/dicom_reader.py
index 77920f2..50303fe 100644
--- a/invesalius/reader/dicom_reader.py
+++ b/invesalius/reader/dicom_reader.py
@@ -19,10 +19,12 @@
 import os
 import Queue
 import threading
+import tempfile
 
 from multiprocessing import cpu_count
 
 import vtk
+import vtkgdcm
 import gdcm
 import wx.lib.pubsub as ps
 
@@ -106,9 +108,8 @@ class LoadDicom(threading.Thread):
             reader.SetFileName(str(filepath))
             
             if (reader.Read()):
-                
                 file = reader.GetFile()
-            
+                 
                 # Retrieve data set
                 dataSet = file.GetDataSet()
             
@@ -173,6 +174,41 @@ class LoadDicom(threading.Thread):
                         data_dict[group][field] = "Invalid Character"
                 
 
+
+                # -------------- To Create DICOM Thumbnail -----------
+                rvtk = vtkgdcm.vtkGDCMImageReader()
+                rvtk.SetFileName(str(filepath))
+                rvtk.Update()
+                
+                try:
+                    data = data_dict['0028']['1050']
+                    level = [float(value) for value in data.split('\\')][0]
+                    data = data_dict['0028']['1051']
+                    window =  [float(value) for value in data.split('\\')][0]
+                except(KeyError):
+                    level = 300.0
+                    window = 2000.0 
+         
+                colorer = vtk.vtkImageMapToWindowLevelColors()
+                colorer.SetInput(rvtk.GetOutput())
+                colorer.SetWindow(float(window))
+                colorer.SetLevel(float(level))
+                colorer.SetOutputFormatToRGB()
+                colorer.Update()           
+                
+                resample = vtk.vtkImageResample()
+                resample.SetInput(colorer.GetOutput())
+                resample.SetAxisMagnificationFactor ( 0, 0.25 )
+                resample.SetAxisMagnificationFactor ( 1, 0.25 )
+                resample.SetAxisMagnificationFactor ( 2, 1 )    
+                resample.Update()
+ 
+                thumbnail_path = tempfile.mktemp()
+
+                write_png = vtk.vtkPNGWriter()
+                write_png.SetInput(resample.GetOutput())
+                write_png.SetFileName(thumbnail_path)
+                write_png.Write()
                 
                 # ----------   Refactory --------------------------------------
                 data_dict['invesalius'] = {'orientation_label' : GetImageOrientationLabel(str(filepath))}
@@ -190,7 +226,7 @@ class LoadDicom(threading.Thread):
                                             
                 if not(is_dicom_dir):
                     parser = dicom.Parser()
-                    parser.SetDataImage(dict_file[filepath], filepath)
+                    parser.SetDataImage(dict_file[filepath], filepath, thumbnail_path)
                     
                     dcm = dicom.Dicom()
                     self.l.acquire()
--
libgit2 0.21.2