DICOM Attribute

Image Type (0008,0008)

Keyword
ImageType
VR
CS
VM
2-n

Definition

Image identification characteristics. See for Defined Terms and further explanation.

From NEMA PS3.3 §C.7.6.1.

Attribute Metadata

Tag
(0008,0008)
Keyword
ImageType
Name
Image Type
Value Representation (VR)
CS
Value Multiplicity (VM)
2-n
Status
Active
Source
NEMA PS3.6 (table_6-1)

This attribute is part of the current DICOM Standard. Its value representation is CS with multiplicity 2-n.

Used in 32 Modules

This attribute uses the CS Value Representation. Multiplicity 2-n governs how many values may be encoded.

Integration Notes

Real-world integration guidance for engineers implementing this attribute in Mirth Connect, FHIR gateways, HL7 v2 bridges, and cloud DICOM services. Authoritative source data where available; reference examples and operational notes where they add value.

FHIR Mapping

  • ImagingStudy.series.instance.title (0008,0008) | (0007,0080) | (0040,A043) + (0008,0104) | (0042,0010)

Source: HL7 FHIR R5 ImagingStudy (CC0).

HL7 v2 Equivalent

No standard HL7 v2 equivalent published for this attribute. Imaging-only attributes (Image Pixel data, technical acquisition parameters, modality-specific values) typically have no HL7 v2 carrier.

Cloud DICOM Support

  • AWS HealthImaging Preserved
  • Azure DICOM Preserved
  • Google Cloud Healthcare Preserved

Image Type — preserved by all three. Multi-valued CS (ORIGINAL/PRIMARY/AXIAL etc.); essential for downstream filtering of derived images.

Per-vendor source URLs and verification date in src/content/dicom/cloud-support.json#_meta. Status taxonomy: required (mandated on Store), queryable (QIDO-RS matching key), preserved (stored as-is), promoted (AWS top-level metadata), unsupported (stripped/rejected).

Real-World Sample Values

  • ORIGINAL\PRIMARY\AXIAL CT_small.dcm
  • DERIVED\SECONDARY\OTHER MR_small.dcm
  • ORIGINAL\PRIMARY\EPICARDIAL ExplVR_BigEnd.dcm

Extracted from pydicom test fixtures (MIT, de-identified).

Mirth Connect Example

Route ORIGINAL vs DERIVED images to separate downstream channels — ImageType is a multi-valued CS (backslash-separated)

ImageType is a multi-valued CS (backslash-separated). Position 0 is ORIGINAL or DERIVED; position 1 is PRIMARY or SECONDARY. Derived images (MIP/MPR/3D) often need different handling than originals.

// (0008,0008) Image Type — CS, DICOM multi-value (backslash separator)
var it = String(msg.dataset.attr.(@tag == '00080008').value).split('\\');
var pixelOrigin = (it[0] || '').trim().toUpperCase();
var pixelType = (it[1] || '').trim().toUpperCase();
channelMap.put('image_origin', pixelOrigin);
if (pixelOrigin === 'DERIVED') {
  router.routeMessageByChannelName('DICOM_Derived_Store', message.getRawData());
  return; // don't forward to the primary archive
}
// Secondary captures (screen grabs, scanned forms) get a separate flag
if (pixelType === 'SECONDARY') channelMap.put('is_sc', 'true');

Reference only — validate before production. Snippets are starting points, not turnkey solutions. Always test against your channel's specific message structure and your facility's interface specification. See Mirth Connect User Guide + NEMA PS3.6 + your vendor conformance statement for authoritative specification.

Common Operational Errors

  • medium Empty second component of ImageType breaks DERIVED/ORIGINAL routing

    Diagnosis: Modality emits ImageType='ORIGINAL\\' (second component empty) when PS3.3 requires it to be PRIMARY or SECONDARY. Downstream routers that branch on ImageType[1] get undefined and default to main archive, even for secondary captures.

    Fix: Validate ImageType at ingress: if length < 2 or values[1] empty, reject with explicit error rather than defaulting. Vendors sometimes patch this silently in firmware updates — test after any modality firmware upgrade.

Reference only — validate before applying a fix. Scenarios are drawn from common DICOM/HL7 v2 integration patterns; reproduce against your environment before acting on any diagnosis. See NEMA PS3.6 + your vendor conformance statement for authoritative specification. Severity levels: high (data-loss / patient-safety), medium (workflow disruption), low (cosmetic).

DICOM Integration Services

Saga IT builds production DICOM integrations across Mirth Connect, FHIR gateways, and cloud imaging platforms. If you're working with ImageType or the broader (0008,0008) context: