XML-based DICOM data format

Abstract

To enhance the readability, improve the structure, and facilitate the sharing of digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) files, this research proposed one kind of XML-based DICOM data format. Because XML Schema offers great flexibility for expressing constraints on the content model of elements, we used it to describe the new format, thus making it consistent with the one originally defined by DICOM. Meanwhile, such schemas can be used in the creation and validation of the XML-encoded DICOM files, acting as a standard for data transmission and sharing on the Web. Upon defining the new data format, we started with representing a single data element and further improved the whole data structure with the method of modularization. In contrast to the original format, the new one possesses better structure without loss of related information. In addition, we demonstrated the application of XSLT and XQuery. All of the advantages mentioned above resulted from this new data format.

Fig. 1

DICOM data structure.

Fig. 2

XML Schema for Patient_Sex.

Fig. 3

XML Schema for Patient_Name.

Fig. 4

XML Schema for Class_Instance_Pair.

Fig. 5

XML Schema for Referenced_Study_Sequence.

Fig. 6

XML Schema for Patient_Module.

Fig. 7

XML Schema for Patient_IE.

Fig. 8

XML Schema for Data_Set.

Fig. 9

Display of DICOM files on browser.