Main Content

dicomread

Read DICOM image

collapse all in page

Syntax

X = dicomread(filename)
X = dicomread(info)
X = dicomread(___,"frames",f)
X = dicomread(___,Name,Value)
[X,cmap] = dicomread(___)
[X,cmap,alpha] = dicomread(___)
[X,cmap,alpha,overlays] = dicomread(___)

Description

X = dicomread(filename) reads the image data from the compliant Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) file filename. To read a group of DICOM files that contain a series of images that comprise a volume, use dicomreadVolume.

example

X = dicomread(info) reads DICOM image data from the message referenced in the DICOM metadata structure info.

X = dicomread(___,"frames",f) reads only the specified frames f from the image, using any combination of input arguments from previous syntaxes.

X = dicomread(___,Name,Value) reads DICOM image data using name-value arguments to configure the parser.

[X,cmap] = dicomread(___) also returns the colormap, cmap.

[X,cmap,alpha] = dicomread(___) also returns alpha, an alpha channel matrix for X.

[X,cmap,alpha,overlays] = dicomread(___) also returns any overlays from the DICOM file.

Examples

collapse all

Open Live Script

Read an indexed image from a DICOM file and display it using montage.

[X,map] = dicomread("US-PAL-8-10x-echo.dcm");
montage(X,map,"Size",[2 5]);

Figure contains an axes object. The hidden axes object contains an object of type image.

Read an image from another DICOM file and display it using imshow. 

info = dicominfo("CT-MONO2-16-ankle.dcm");
Y = dicomread(info);
figure
imshow(Y,[]);

Figure contains an axes object. The hidden axes object contains an object of type image.

Input Arguments

collapse all

Name of the DICOM file, specified as a character vector or string scalar.

Data Types: char | string

DICOM metadata, specified as a structure. You can create an info structure by using the dicominfo function.

Frames to read, specified as a positive integer scalar, a vector of positive integers, or "all". When f is numeric, dicomread reads only the frames of the specified numbers from the image. By default, dicomread reads all frames of the DICOM image.

Name-Value Arguments

Specify optional pairs of arguments as Name1=Value1,...,NameN=ValueN, where Name is the argument name and Value is the corresponding value. Name-value arguments must appear after other arguments, but the order of the pairs does not matter.

Example: dicomread("CT-MONO2-16-ankle.dcm",UseVRHeuristic=false) reads the image data from the DICOM file without using a heuristic.

Before R2021a, use commas to separate each name and value, and enclose Name in quotes.

Example: dicomread("CT-MONO2-16-ankle.dcm","UseVRHeuristic",false) reads the image data from the DICOM file without using a heuristic.

Read noncompliant DICOM files that switch value representation (VR) modes incorrectly, specified as a logical 1 (true) or 0 (false).

When set to true, dicomread uses a heuristic to help read certain noncompliant DICOM files that switch VR modes incorrectly. dicomread displays a warning if it uses this heuristic. If this heuristic is enabled, a small number of compliant files are not read correctly. Set UseVRHeuristic to false to read these compliant files.

Data Types: logical

Output Arguments

collapse all

DICOM image, returned as one of these options:

  • An m-by-n matrix representing a single-frame grayscale image, or an indexed image.

  • An m-by-n-by-3 array representing a single-frame truecolor (RGB) image.

  • A 4-D array representing a multiframe image.

Data Types: int8 | int16 | uint8 | uint16

Colormap associated with image X, returned as one of these options:

  • If X is an indexed image, then cmap is returned as a c-by-3 numeric matrix with values in the range [0, 1]. Each row is a three-element RGB triplet that specifies the red, green, and blue components of a single color of the colormap.

  • If X is a grayscale or truecolor image, then cmap is empty ([]).

Data Types: double

Alpha channel matrix for image X, returned as an m-by-n matrix or 4-D array of nonnegative integers. The values of alpha are 0 if the pixel is opaque. Otherwise, they are row indices into cmap. To use alpha, you should substitute the RGB value in cmap for the value in X. The alpha output has the same height and width as X, and is 4-D for a multiframe image. alpha has the same data type as X.

Data Types: int8 | int16 | uint8 | uint16

Overlays from the DICOM file, returned as an m-by-n matrix or 4-D array of binary values. Each overlay is a 1-bit black and white image with the same height and width as X. If multiple overlays are present in the file, then overlays is a 4-D multiframe image. If no overlays are in the file, then overlays is empty ([]).

Data Types: logical

More About

collapse all

Supported Transfer Syntax UIDs

The dicomread function reads files with these pixel formats and transfer syntax UIDs:

Pixel FormatTransfer Syntax UID
Implicit VR Little Endian1.2.840.10008.1.2
Explicit VR Little Endian1.2.840.10008.1.2.1
Explicit VR Big Endian1.2.840.10008.1.2.2
JPEG Baseline (Process 1)1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.50

JPEG Extended (Process 2 & 4)

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.51

JPEG Spectral Selection, Non-Hierarchical (Process 6 & 8)

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.53

JPEG Full Progression, Non-Hierarchical (Process 10 & 12)

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.55

JPEG Lossless, Non-Hierarchical (Process 14)

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.57

JPEG Extended, Hierarchical (Process 16 & 18)

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.59

JPEG Spectral Selection, Hierarchical (Process 20 & 22)

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.61

JPEG Full Progression, Hierarchical (Process 24 & 26)

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.63

JPEG Lossless, Hierarchical (Process 28)

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.65

JPEG Lossless, Non-Hierarchical, First-Order Prediction (Process 14 [Selection Value 1])

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.70

RLE Lossless

1.2.840.10008.1.2.5

GE Implicit VR Little Endian Except Big Endian Pixels

1.2.840.113619.5.2

MPEG2 Main Profile / Main Level

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.100

MPEG2 Main Profile / High Level

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.101

MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 High Profile / Level 4.1

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.102

MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 BD-compatible High Profile / Level 4.1

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.103

MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 High Profile / Level 4.2 For 2D Video

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.104

MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 High Profile / Level 4.2 For 3D Video

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.105

MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Stereo High Profile / Level 4.2

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.106

HEVC/H.265 Main Profile / Level 5.1

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.107

HEVC/H.265 Main 10 Profile / Level 5.1

1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.108

Extended Capabilities

Version History

Introduced before R2006a

expand all

See Also

| | | | | | | | (Medical Imaging Toolbox) | (Medical Imaging Toolbox)