Metadata guide
What are DICOM tags?
DICOM tags are labeled data elements that describe an image and its context. MedImages reads a small, useful subset for display in the viewer inspector.
How tags identify DICOM data
Each standard DICOM data element has a group and element number, commonly written as a pair such as (0010,0010). The tag identifies the meaning of the value, while a value representation describes how that value is encoded. Together, tags make the file understandable to DICOM-aware software.
Common examples
- Patient Name (0010,0010) may contain the name associated with the image.
- Study Date (0008,0020) records the study date when supplied by the source system.
- Modality (0008,0060) uses values such as CT, MR, CR, or DX to identify the imaging type.
- Series Description (0008,103E) can provide a human-readable description of a series.
- Rows and Columns describe the dimensions of the stored pixel matrix.
- Window Center and Window Width can provide initial presentation settings.
Inspect metadata in MedImages
After opening a file, expand the inspector on the right side of the workspace and select Metadata. The current viewer shows Patient Name, Study Description, Modality, Rows, Columns, Window Width, and Window Center when those values can be parsed. The Info tab also shows filename and file size for the stored upload.
MedImages does not currently provide a complete tag browser. For example, Study Date and Series Description are useful examples of DICOM tags, but they are not among the fields shown in the current inspector.
Why tags differ between files
The DICOM standard includes required, conditional, and optional attributes, and equipment vendors may add private elements. Values can be absent, blank, anonymized, replaced during export, or encoded in a way a particular reader does not support. The modality and object type also determine which attributes are relevant.
Do not assume that a missing value proves the information never existed, or that a displayed value is complete or accurate. When metadata matters, verify it against the source system and original file.
DICOM tags may contain protected health information. Review how MedImages stores uploaded files before using the viewer with sensitive data.