Write DICOM data

This example shows how to write a DICOM file from scratch using pydicom. This example does not produce a DICOM standards compliant file as written, you will have to change UIDs to valid values and add all required DICOM data elements.

Setting file meta information...
Setting dataset values...
Writing test file /tmp/tmp2htjsszk.dcm
File saved.
Writing test file as Big Endian Explicit VR /tmp/tmpqms0tf1h.dcm
Load file /tmp/tmp2htjsszk.dcm ...
Dataset.file_meta -------------------------------
(0002, 0002) Media Storage SOP Class UID         UI: CT Image Storage
(0002, 0003) Media Storage SOP Instance UID      UI: 1.2.3
(0002, 0012) Implementation Class UID            UI: 1.2.3.4
-------------------------------------------------
(0008, 0023) Content Date                        DA: '20230815'
(0008, 0033) Content Time                        TM: '202150.588338'
(0010, 0010) Patient's Name                      PN: 'Test^Firstname'
(0010, 0020) Patient ID                          LO: '123456'
Remove file /tmp/tmp2htjsszk.dcm ...
Load file /tmp/tmpqms0tf1h.dcm ...
Dataset.file_meta -------------------------------
(0002, 0002) Media Storage SOP Class UID         UI: CT Image Storage
(0002, 0003) Media Storage SOP Instance UID      UI: 1.2.3
(0002, 0010) Transfer Syntax UID                 UI: Explicit VR Big Endian
(0002, 0012) Implementation Class UID            UI: 1.2.3.4
-------------------------------------------------
(0008, 0023) Content Date                        DA: '20230815'
(0008, 0033) Content Time                        TM: '202150.588338'
(0010, 0010) Patient's Name                      PN: 'Test^Firstname'
(0010, 0020) Patient ID                          LO: '123456'
Remove file /tmp/tmpqms0tf1h.dcm ...

# authors : Guillaume Lemaitre <g.lemaitre58@gmail.com>
# license : MIT

import datetime
import os
import tempfile

import pydicom
from pydicom.dataset import FileDataset, FileMetaDataset
from pydicom.uid import UID

# Create some temporary filenames
suffix = '.dcm'
filename_little_endian = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=suffix).name
filename_big_endian = tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(suffix=suffix).name

print("Setting file meta information...")
# Populate required values for file meta information
file_meta = FileMetaDataset()
file_meta.MediaStorageSOPClassUID = UID('1.2.840.10008.5.1.4.1.1.2')
file_meta.MediaStorageSOPInstanceUID = UID("1.2.3")
file_meta.ImplementationClassUID = UID("1.2.3.4")

print("Setting dataset values...")
# Create the FileDataset instance (initially no data elements, but file_meta
# supplied)
ds = FileDataset(filename_little_endian, {},
                 file_meta=file_meta, preamble=b"\0" * 128)

# Add the data elements -- not trying to set all required here. Check DICOM
# standard
ds.PatientName = "Test^Firstname"
ds.PatientID = "123456"

# Set the transfer syntax
ds.is_little_endian = True
ds.is_implicit_VR = True

# Set creation date/time
dt = datetime.datetime.now()
ds.ContentDate = dt.strftime('%Y%m%d')
timeStr = dt.strftime('%H%M%S.%f')  # long format with micro seconds
ds.ContentTime = timeStr

print("Writing test file", filename_little_endian)
ds.save_as(filename_little_endian)
print("File saved.")

# Write as a different transfer syntax XXX shouldn't need this but pydicom
# 0.9.5 bug not recognizing transfer syntax
ds.file_meta.TransferSyntaxUID = pydicom.uid.ExplicitVRBigEndian
ds.is_little_endian = False
ds.is_implicit_VR = False

print("Writing test file as Big Endian Explicit VR", filename_big_endian)
ds.save_as(filename_big_endian)

# reopen the data just for checking
for filename in (filename_little_endian, filename_big_endian):
    print('Load file {} ...'.format(filename))
    ds = pydicom.dcmread(filename)
    print(ds)

    # remove the created file
    print('Remove file {} ...'.format(filename))
    os.remove(filename)