This 'data type' is termed as Value Representation (VR) in DICOM. As can be seen, these attributes require different data types for correct representation. An application which does not find a needed attribute name in this standardized list may add its own private entry, termed as a private tag proprietary attributes are therefore possible in DICOM.Įxamples of attributes are Study Date, Patient Name, Modality, Transfer Syntax UID, etc. DICOM has also standardized on the most commonly used attributes, and these are listed in the DICOM Data Dictionary (Part 6 of the Standard). In other words, an IOD is a data abstraction of a class of similar real-world objects which defines the nature and attributes relevant to that class. An IOD is a collection of attributes describing a data object. DICOM objects are standardized according to IODs ( Information Object Definitions). An object, as in Object Oriented Programming, is characterized by attributes. In particular, we do not discuss the communication and network aspects of the DICOM standard.Įverything in DICOM is an object - medical device, patient, etc. In what follows, we explain only those terms and concepts related to a DICOM file. All of these details are hidden inside the DICOM file in the form of tags and their values.īefore we get into tags and values, a brief about DICOM itself and related terminology is in place. Important among the image details are the image dimensions - width and height, and image bits per pixel. The header comprises, among other things, the patient name and other patient particulars, and image details. As with all other image file formats, a DICOM file consists of a header, followed by pixel data. We now present a brief description of the DICOM image file format. We also demonstrate the way to modify the brightness and contrast of the displayed image through Window Level. In this article, we present a viewer for DICOM images. Within the innards of the standard is also contained a detailed specification of the file format for images. The standard comprises of twenty parts (as of 2013), and is freely available at the NEMA website.

The DICOM standard was created by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), and it also addresses distribution and viewing of medical images. The DICOM standard addresses the basic connectivity between different imaging devices, and also the workflow in a medical imaging department. Download DicomImageViewerExe.zip - 32.2 KBĭICOM stands for Digital Imaging and COmmunication in Medicine.

Dicom viewer