When using medical images, whether for educational, research, or commercial purposes, it's crucial to carefully consider copyright and licensing issues to ensure compliance with legal standards and to protect patient privacy. Medical images, such as X-rays, MRI scans, and ultrasound images, are typically subject to copyright protection, meaning they cannot be reproduced, distributed, or displayed without permission from the copyright holder, who is often the creator or the institution where the image was produced. Additionally, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States and similar regulations worldwide impose strict guidelines on the use of personal health information, including images that can identify an individual. Therefore, acquiring the necessary copyrights and ensuring all personal identifiers are removed or obtaining patient consent for use are essential steps. When sourcing medical images, consider using those explicitly released under creative commons licenses or from databases that provide images with appropriate usage rights, always adhering to the specified license terms and privacy regulations.

Note: Many of the image libraries listed on this page are open access and protected by Creative Commons licenses, allowing varying degrees of use and reproduction. Each library has unique copyright/licensing arrangements, and images within each library may be similarly unique. It is your responsibility to ensure that your use of images is consistent with their legal protections.