DICOM Specifications & Standards
The DICOM standard defines thousands of DICOM tags (data elements), service classes, and transfer syntaxes for medical imaging interoperability. This reference covers key DICOM specifications, data elements, and implementation guidelines for healthcare IT professionals and developers.
Core DICOM Standards
Section titled “Core DICOM Standards”DICOM Standard Parts
Section titled “DICOM Standard Parts”The DICOM standard is organized into multiple parts, each addressing specific aspects:
| Part | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Introduction and Overview | High-level overview of the DICOM standard |
| Part 3 | Information Object Definitions | Defines the structure of DICOM data objects |
| Part 4 | Service Class Specifications | Defines DICOM network services |
| Part 5 | Data Structures and Encoding | Rules for encoding DICOM data |
| Part 6 | Data Dictionary | Complete registry of DICOM data elements |
| Part 7 | Message Exchange | Protocol for DICOM message exchange |
| Part 8 | Network Communication Support | TCP/IP network layer specifications |
DICOM Data Elements and Tags
Section titled “DICOM Data Elements and Tags”DICOM uses a comprehensive system of data elements (tags) to store information. Each tag is identified by a group and element number in the format (group,element).
DICOM 12 fields
| Tag | Name | VR | Opt | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
★ (0010,0010) | Patient's Name | PN | R | Patient's full name in DICOM format (Last^First^Middle) |
★ (0010,0020) | Patient ID | LO | R | Primary identifier for the patient (MRN) |
(0010,0030) | Patient's Birth Date | DA | O | Date of birth in YYYYMMDD format |
(0010,0040) | Patient's Sex | CS | O | Patient's sex — M (Male), F (Female), or O (Other) |
★ (0020,000D) | Study Instance UID | UI | R | Globally unique identifier for the study |
| Must be unique across all DICOM systems worldwide. Generated using OID-based algorithms or UUID mapping. | ||||
★ (0008,0020) | Study Date | DA | R | Date the study was performed |
(0008,0030) | Study Time | TM | O | Time the study was performed |
(0008,1030) | Study Description | LO | O | Description of the study (e.g., "CT Abdomen with Contrast") |
★ (0028,0010) | Rows | US | R | Number of rows (height) in the image |
★ (0028,0011) | Columns | US | R | Number of columns (width) in the image |
★ (0028,0100) | Bits Allocated | US | R | Number of bits allocated per pixel sample (typically 8 or 16) |
| Determines the storage size per pixel. Most medical images use 16 bits for diagnostic-quality dynamic range. | ||||
★ (0028,0102) | High Bit | US | R | Most significant bit for pixel data |
★ (0010,0010) R Patient's Name PN
Patient's full name in DICOM format (Last^First^Middle)
★ (0010,0020) R Patient ID LO
Primary identifier for the patient (MRN)
(0010,0030) O Patient's Birth Date DA
Date of birth in YYYYMMDD format
(0010,0040) O Patient's Sex CS
Patient's sex — M (Male), F (Female), or O (Other)
★ (0020,000D) R Study Instance UID UI
Globally unique identifier for the study
Must be unique across all DICOM systems worldwide. Generated using OID-based algorithms or UUID mapping.
★ (0008,0020) R Study Date DA
Date the study was performed
(0008,0030) O Study Time TM
Time the study was performed
(0008,1030) O Study Description LO
Description of the study (e.g., "CT Abdomen with Contrast")
★ (0028,0010) R Rows US
Number of rows (height) in the image
★ (0028,0011) R Columns US
Number of columns (width) in the image
★ (0028,0100) R Bits Allocated US
Number of bits allocated per pixel sample (typically 8 or 16)
Determines the storage size per pixel. Most medical images use 16 bits for diagnostic-quality dynamic range.
★ (0028,0102) R High Bit US
Most significant bit for pixel data
Service Classes
Section titled “Service Classes”Storage Service Class
Section titled “Storage Service Class”The fundamental DICOM service for sending images and data:
- C-STORE: Store DICOM objects on a remote device
- Storage Commitment: Confirm successful storage of objects
C-STORE — Image Transfer
Imaging Device SCU (Service Class User)
PACS Server SCP (Service Class Provider)
A-ASSOCIATE Request Negotiate services + transfer syntaxes
A-ASSOCIATE Accept Association established
C-STORE Request DICOM image data
C-STORE Response Status: Success (0000)
A-RELEASE Request Close association
A-RELEASE Response
scu scp
A-ASSOCIATE Request Negotiate services + transfer syntaxes scp scu
A-ASSOCIATE Accept Association established scu scp
C-STORE Request DICOM image data scp scu
C-STORE Response Status: Success (0000) scu scp
A-RELEASE Request Close association scp scu
A-RELEASE Response Query/Retrieve Service Classes
Section titled “Query/Retrieve Service Classes”Essential for PACS functionality:
- C-FIND: Search for studies, series, or images matching specified criteria
- C-MOVE: Retrieve DICOM objects by requesting the SCP to send them to a specified destination
- C-GET: Alternative retrieval method where objects are sent directly back to the requester
Query/Retrieve — C-FIND + C-MOVE
Workstation Requesting SCU
PACS Archive SCP
Destination Move Destination SCP
C-FIND Request Search criteria (Patient ID, Study Date)
C-FIND Response(s) Matching studies returned
C-MOVE Request Study UID + Destination AE Title
C-STORE Request(s) Images sent to destination
C-STORE Response Each image acknowledged
C-MOVE Response Status: Complete
workstation pacs
C-FIND Request Search criteria (Patient ID, Study Date) pacs workstation
C-FIND Response(s) Matching studies returned workstation pacs
C-MOVE Request Study UID + Destination AE Title pacs dest
C-STORE Request(s) Images sent to destination dest pacs
C-STORE Response Each image acknowledged pacs workstation
C-MOVE Response Status: Complete Verification Service Class
Section titled “Verification Service Class”- C-ECHO: Test connectivity between DICOM devices (the DICOM equivalent of a network “ping”)
# Using DCMTK's echoscu tool to verify DICOM connectivityechoscu -v remote-pacs.hospital.org 104Implementation Guidelines
Section titled “Implementation Guidelines”DICOM Conformance Statements
Section titled “DICOM Conformance Statements”Every DICOM device must provide a conformance statement detailing:
- Supported Service Classes (Storage, Query/Retrieve, etc.)
- Information Object Definitions (which modality types)
- Communication protocols (transfer syntaxes)
- Security features (TLS support, authentication)
Best Practices
Section titled “Best Practices”- Always validate DICOM conformance statements before purchasing or integrating equipment
- Implement proper error handling for all DICOM network operations
- Use appropriate transfer syntaxes for your bandwidth and storage requirements
- Follow security guidelines for PHI protection, including TLS for all network communication
- Test thoroughly with C-ECHO before attempting C-STORE or C-FIND operations
Official Resources
Section titled “Official Resources”- DICOM Standard: Official DICOM documentation and browser
- NEMA Publications: Complete standard downloads
- IHE Profiles: Integration profiles building on DICOM for real-world workflows
Related DICOM Resources
Section titled “Related DICOM Resources” DICOM Resource Center Standards overview, specifications, tools, and integration resources.
Introduction to DICOM Learn the fundamentals of DICOM and medical imaging standards.
DICOM Viewer Web-based DICOM viewer for medical imaging files.
DICOM FAQ Answers to common DICOM questions about implementation and troubleshooting.
Need Help with DICOM Implementation?
Section titled “Need Help with DICOM Implementation?”We help healthcare organizations implement DICOM integrations and troubleshoot specification compliance.
Medical Imaging Services Professional DICOM integration and PACS solutions.
Contact Our Specialists Get expert help with DICOM implementation and troubleshooting.