FileMetaInformationVersion and dcmodify

[chuck_theobald]

I am working on scripts to anonymize some DICOM data and ran across a message from dcmodify:

W: DcmFileFormat: Unknown Version of MetaHeader detected: 0x0101 supported: 0x0100

It also appears that dcmodify alters the FileMetaInformationVersion element, changing it from 0x0100 to 0x0101. The transform desired (changing PatientBirthDate) happens anyway, but I am curious about FileMetaInformationVersion and have not found documentation on what is intended for this element.

I would appreciate a point in the right direction.

Thank you,
Chuck

[J. Riesmeier]

In fact, there is only a single version of the file meta information header (according to the DICOM standard). That's why the DCMTK parser warns about any deviation.
The official definition of the "DICOM File Meta Information" can be found in Table 7.1-1 of PS 3.10.

I'm not sure whether dcmodify creates a complete new "meta header" or whether it only updates certain information. This could be checked if you look into the source code.
Other DCMTK tools like dcmconv have an option for this:

Code: Select all

output options:
  output file format:
    +F   --write-file           write file format (default)
    +Fm  --write-new-meta-info  write file format with new meta information
    -F   --write-dataset        write data set without file meta information

[Michael Onken]

Hi,

dcmodify does not write a complete new meta header (which is default DCMTK behaviour). Instead only Media Storage SOP Class UID and Media Storage SOP Instance UID are updated if they are modified in the main dataset. Even that can be disabled using option --no-meta-uid.

So my guess is that the meta header version information has been wrong in the original file already. If you think it's dcmodify's fault you can send the file to me for testing at onken (at) open-connections (dot) de. Probably tools like dciodvfy from the dicom3tools will also report that error.

Best,
Michael