DICOM Attributes
A DICOM attribute or data element is composed of the following parts:
- A tag, in the format of group, element (XXXX,XXXX) that identifies the element
- A Value Representation (VR) that describes the data type and format of the attribute’s value
- A value length that defines the length of the attribute’s value
- A value field containing the attribute’s data
The basic attribute structure is shown in the following figure:
Each data element is described by a pair of numbers (group number, data element number). Even numbered groups are elements defined by the DICOM standard and are referred to as public tags. Odd numbered groups can be defined by users of the file format, but must conform to the same structure as standard elements. These are referred to as private tags.
Note: This section does not contain a comprehensive IOD list for each modality. Visit http://dicom.nema.org/standard.html for additional DICOM information including access to the complete standard.
The following table lists the DICOM attributes organized by attribute name. This information comes from the 2001 NEMA DICOM Standard (http://medical.nema.org/dicom/2001.html). See Value Representations for definitions of the VR items.
To search for an attribute, click in the table, press Ctrl + F, enter the text or number, and click Find Next. Or, search the attribute name by letter:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
|
Attribute Name
|
VR
|
Tag
|
|
Accession Number
|
SH
|
(0008,0050)
|
|
Acquisition Context Description
|
ST
|
(0040,0556)
|
|
Acquisition Context Sequence
|
SQ
|
(0040,0555)
|
|
Acquisition Date
|
DA
|
(0008,0022)
|
|
Acquisition Datetime
|
DT
|
(0008,002A)
|
|
Acquisition Device Processing Code
|
LO
|
(0018,1401)
|
|
Acquisition Device Processing
Description
|
LO
|
(0018,1400)
|
|
Acquisition Matrix
|
US
|
(0018,1310)
|
|
Acquisition Number
|
IS
|
(0020,0012)
|
|
Acquisition Start Condition
|
CS
|
(0018,0073)
|
|
Acquisition Start Condition Data
|
IS
|
(0018,0074)
|
|
Acquisition Termination Condition
|
CS
|
(0018,0071)
|
|
Acquisition Termination Condition
Data
|
IS
|
(0018,0075)
|
|
Acquisition Time
|
TM
|
(0008,0032)
|
|
Acquisition Time Synchronized
|
CS
|
(0018,1800)
|
|
Acquisitions in Study
|
IS
|
(0020,1004)
|
|
Active Source Diameter
|
DS
|
(300A,0218)
|
|
Active Source Length
|
DS
|
(300A,021A)
|
|
Actual Frame Duration
|
IS
|
(0018,1242)
|
|
Actual Human Performers Sequence
|
SQ
|
(0040,4035)
|
|
Additional Drug Sequence
|
SQ
|
(0018,002A)
|
|
Additional Patient History
|
LT
|
(0010,21B0)
|
|
Administration Route Code
Sequence
|
SQ
|
(0054,0302)
|
|
Admission ID
|
LO
|
(0038,0010)
|
|
Admitting Date
|
DA
|
(0038,0020)
|
|
Admitting Diagnoses Code Sequence
|
SQ
|
(0008,1084)
|
|
Admitting Diagnoses Description
|
LO
|
(0008,1080)
|
|
Admitting Time
|
TM
|
(0038,0021)
|
|
Air Kerma Rate Reference Date
|
DA
|
(300A,022C)
|
|
Air Kerma Rate Reference Time
|
TM
|
(300A,022E)
|
|
Anatomic Region Modifier Sequence
|
SQ
|
(0008,2220)
|
|
Anatomic Region Sequence
|
SQ
|
(0008,2218)
|
|
Anatomic Structure, Space or Region
Sequence
|
SQ
|
(0008,2229)
|
|
Anchor Point
|
FL
|
(0070,0014)
|
|
Anchor Point Annotation Units
|
CS
|
(0070,0004)
|
|
Anchor Point Visibility
|
CS
|
(0070,0015)
|
|
Angio Flag
|
CS
|
(0018,0025)
|
|
Angular Position
|
DS
|
(0018,1141)
|
|
Angular Step
|
DS
|
(0018,1144)
|
|
Angular View Vector
|
US
|
(0054,0090)
|
|
Annotation Content Sequence
|
SQ
|
(2130,0050)
|
|
Annotation Display Format ID
|
CS
|
(2010,0030)
|
|
Annotation Flag
|
CS
|
(2000,0065)
|
|
Annotation Group Number
|
US
|
(0040,A180)
|
|
Annotation Position
|
US
|
(2030,0010)
|
|
Annotation Sequence
|
SQ
|
(0040,B020)
|
|
Anode Target Material
|
CS
|
(0018,1191)
|
|
Applicable Frame Range
|
US
|
(0028,6102)
|
|
Application Setup Check
|
CS
|
(3008,0116)
|
|
Application Setup Manufacturer
|
LO
|
(300A,0238)
|
|
Application Setup Name
|
LO
|
(300A,0236)
|
|
Application Setup Number
|
IS
|
(300A,0234)
|
|
Application Setup Sequence
|
SQ
|
(300A,0230)
|
|
Application Setup Type
|
CS
|
(300A,0232)
|
|
Applicator Description
|
LO
|
(300A,010A)
|
|
Applicator ID
|
SH
|
(300A,0108)
|
|
Applicator Sequence
|
SQ
|
(300A,0107)
|
|
Applicator Type
|
CS
|
(300A,0109)
|
|
Approval Status
|
CS
|
(300E,0002)
|
|
Attached Contours
|
IS
|
(3006,0049)
|
|
Attenuation Correction Method
|
LO
|
(0054,1101)
|
|
Audio Comments
|
LT
|
(50xx,200E)
|
|
Audio Sample Data
|
OW or OB
|
(50xx,200C)
|
|
Audio Sample Format
|
US
|
(50xx,2002)
|
|
Audio Type
|
US
|
(50xx,2000)
|
|
Authorization Equipment
Certification Number
|
LO
|
(0100,0426)
|
|
Average Pulse Width
|
DS
|
(0018,1154)
|
|
Axial Acceptance
|
DS
|
(0054,1200)
|
|
Axial Mash
|
IS
|
(0054,1201)
|
|
Axis Labels
|
SH
|
(50xx,0040)
|
|
Axis Units
|
SH
|
(50xx,0030)
|
|
Basic Color Image Sequence
|
SQ
|
(2020,0111)
|
|
Basic Grayscale Image Sequence
|
SQ
|
(2020,0110)
|
|
Beam Description
|
ST
|
(300A,00C3)
|
|
Beam Dose
|
DS
|
(300A,0084)
|
|
Beam Dose Specification Point
|
DS
|
(300A,0082)
|
|
Beam Limiting Device Angle
|
DS
|
(300A,0120)
|
|
Beam Limiting Device Angle
Tolerance
|
DS
|
(300A,0046)
|
|
Beam Limiting Device Leaf Pairs
Sequence
|
SQ
|
(3008,00A0)
|
|
Beam Limiting Device Position
Sequence
|
SQ
|
(300A,011A)
|
|
Beam Limiting Device Position
Tolerance
|
DS
|
(300A,004A)
|
|
Beam Limiting Device Rotation
Direction
|
CS
|
(300A,0121)
|
|
Beam Limiting Device Sequence
|
SQ
|
(300A,00B6)
|
|
Beam Limiting Device Tolerance
Sequence
|
SQ
|
(300A,0048)
|
|
Beam Meterset
|
DS
|
(300A,0086)
|
|
Beam Name
|
LO
|
(300A,00C2)
|
|
Beam Number
|
IS
|
(300A,00C0)
|