DICOM to HL7 v2 Mapping

Approximate mapping. DICOM StationName usually identifies the modality (CT scanner serial); MSH-3 identifies the application that sent the HL7 message. Equivalent only when the imaging device sends both.

Loose mapping. MSH-4 identifies the sending application's facility; DICOM InstitutionName names the institution that operates the imaging equipment. Often equivalent in single-site deployments.

Time portion of MPPS message timestamp. Date portion goes to (0040,0244).

DICOM PerformedProcedureStepStartDate is set when the modality emits an MPPS N-CREATE message. The HL7 v2 equivalent is the message timestamp.

HL7 v2 has no direct Patient Age field — receivers calculate from PID-7 (Date of Birth) and the message's reference date. DICOM PatientAge is AS (e.g., '045Y'); the modality computes it.

PID-11 is XAD (extended address) and repeating. DICOM PatientAddress is a single LO field — typically the home address (PID-11.7 = 'H') is used.

PID-13 (home) and PID-14 (business) both repeating. DICOM PatientTelephoneNumbers is multi-valued — implementations vary on which to map.

Both fields are CWE — code values may differ between facilities; map by code system or pass-through string.

Both DICOM (0010,2160) and PID-22 are deprecated in newer revisions for privacy reasons. Avoid in new interfaces.

PID-3 is a repeating CX field; DICOM PatientID typically maps to the MRN entry (PID-3.1 with PID-3.5 = 'MR').

PID-4 was retired in HL7 v2.5+ in favor of repeating PID-3. Only meaningful for v2.4 and earlier interfaces.

Direct mapping. PID-5 uses XPN (Extended Person Name) which decomposes the same 5 components as DICOM PN VR (family/given/middle/prefix/suffix).

PID-7 is a TS (timestamp) — DICOM consumes only the date portion (YYYYMMDD).

Same code values: M, F, O, U (and DICOM-only A for Ambiguous when absent in HL7 v2).

PID-9 is XPN repeating; DICOM OtherPatientNames is PN multi-valued.

Both fields identify the encounter/visit. AdmissionID in DICOM = Visit Number in HL7 v2. Authoritative per IHE.

ScheduledStationName in DICOM hints at the room assigned to perform the procedure; HL7 v2 PV1-3 names the patient's current location (room/bed). Loose match — not always equivalent in radiology workflows.

PV1-44 is TS; DICOM AdmittingDate is DA (date only) — strip the time portion.

Also frequently appears in OBR-16 (Ordering Provider) for orders. Both PID PV1-8 and OBR-16 are XCN.

PV1-8 is XCN; phone numbers live in subcomponents PV1-8.13 / PV1-8.14. DICOM ReferringPhysicianTelephoneNumbers is multi-valued SH.

PV1-8 XCN identifies the referring doctor with multiple ID components (PV1-8.1, .9, .10, .13). DICOM ReferringPhysicianIdentificationSequence is a sequence of CodeValue/CodingSchemeDesignator/CodeMeaning items.

PV1-9 repeats; DICOM PhysiciansOfRecord is PN multi-valued.

DICOM AdditionalPatientHistory is LT free text. PV2-3 (Admit Reason) is one source; NTE-3 segments are another. Sometimes assembled from multiple HL7 v2 fields.

DICOM MedicalAlerts is free-text LO multi-valued; AL1 is a structured repeating segment. Concatenate AL1 instances as text for DICOM, or vice-versa.

Like MedicalAlerts (0010,2000), DICOM Allergies is free-text LO; AL1 is structured. Same concatenation pattern.

ScheduledStationAETitle is the DICOM AE title of the modality — there is no HL7 v2 field for AE titles. Some facilities convey the AE via a Z-segment or via ORC-21 (Ordering Facility Name) by convention.

Loose mapping. OBR-15 is intended for lab specimens; radiology often uses it for body site as a courtesy. Newer interfaces use SPM segment + OBR-44 procedure code.

Most common mapping per IHE RAD-TF — Accession Number is conveyed in OBR-18 (Placer Field 1) for radiology orders. Some sites use OBR-3 (Filler Order Number) or a Z-segment instead. Always confirm with facility convention.

Older convention. DICOM StudyID is SH 16 chars; OBR-19 (or sometimes OBR-20) carries it in radiology workflows.

OBR-24 carries the modality code (CT, MR, US, NM, etc.) using the same DICOM CID 30 / table 6029 codes. Often also encoded in OBR-21 (Filler Field 1).

ScheduledProcedureStepID in DICOM matches the filler-side identifier of the order. ORC-3 is the formal field; OBR-3 mirrors it.

OBR-32 is NDL — name with date and location. DICOM PerformingPhysicianName is PN.

ScheduledPerformingPhysicianName maps from OBR-32 in result messages, or from custom Z-segments in scheduling messages.

OBR-4 is CWE coded with text — DICOM StudyDescription typically uses the text component. Same field also feeds (0040,1003) RequestedProcedureCode + ProcedureCodeSequence.

ScheduledProcedureStepDescription draws from OBR-4 (Universal Service Identifier text component). Same source as StudyDescription (0008,1030).

OBR-44 is CWE; DICOM RequestedProcedureCodeSequence carries CodeValue, CodingSchemeDesignator, CodeMeaning — all three components map directly.

OBR-7 is TS; DICOM StudyDate consumes the YYYYMMDD portion. The time portion goes to (0008,0030) StudyTime.

Time portion of the OBR-7 timestamp. Date portion goes to (0008,0020) StudyDate.

HL7 v2 conveys patient height as OBX with LOINC 8302-2. DICOM PatientSize is DS in meters. Unit conversion (in/cm/m) may be required.

HL7 v2 conveys patient weight as an observation (OBX with LOINC 29463-7 or similar). DICOM PatientWeight is DS in kg. Unit conversion may be required (lb ↔ kg).

OBX-16 (XCN repeating) carries the reading physician for an observation. DICOM NameOfPhysiciansReadingStudy is PN multi-valued.

Loose mapping. DICOM InstitutionalDepartmentName names the imaging department; HL7 v2 carries similar info in OBX-23 (Performing Organization Name) for results.

DICOM SeriesDescription is free LO; HL7 v2 has no direct equivalent. Often left blank or filled at the modality.

TQ1-9 in HL7 v2.5+ (or OBR-27.6 in older versions). Code values: STAT, ASAP, ROUTINE, etc. — often mapped one-to-one to DICOM RequestedProcedurePriority.

NTE segments concatenate into ImagingServiceRequestComments. Multiple NTEs join with newlines.

RequestedProcedureID is the IHE workflow's primary identifier of a requested procedure. IHE RAD-TF SWF profile uses IPC-1. Older interfaces overload OBR-19.

Manufacturer is set by the modality from its own configuration; HL7 v2 has no field that conveys imaging equipment manufacturer.

ManufacturerModelName is a modality-side attribute; not conveyed in HL7 v2 messages.

IHE RAD-TF defines ZDS-1 (a Z-segment) as the formal carrier for Study Instance UID. Many facilities instead overload OBR-3 (Filler Order Number) or include the UID as a comment NTE. Confirm with facility convention.