DICOM Attribute

Content Time (0008,0033)

Keyword
ContentTime
VR
TM
VM
1

Definition

The time the image pixel data creation started. Required if image is part of a Series in which the images are temporally related. May be present otherwise.

From NEMA PS3.3 §C.7.6.1.

Attribute Metadata

Tag
(0008,0033)
Keyword
ContentTime
Name
Content Time
Value Representation (VR)
TM
Value Multiplicity (VM)
1
Status
Active
Source
NEMA PS3.6 (table_6-1)

This attribute is part of the current DICOM Standard. Its value representation is TM with multiplicity 1.

Used in 26 Modules

This attribute uses the TM Value Representation. Multiplicity 1 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

No direct FHIR ImagingStudy mapping published for this attribute. Some tags map indirectly via the Patient, Endpoint, or ImagingSelection resources — Phase 2b will expand coverage to those.

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, Azure DICOM, and GCP Healthcare DICOM coverage rolls out by attribute. The QIDO-RS matching keys + Patient/Study/Series core (~50 attributes) are documented; lower-traffic attributes will be added as Saga teams encounter them in production.

Real-World Sample Values

  • 113008 CT_small.dcm
  • 105919 waveform_ecg.dcm
  • 160527 reportsi.dcm

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

Mirth Connect Example

JavaScript transformer snippets for the most-queried tags will be added as coverage expands.

Common Operational Errors

Operational error patterns for the most-queried tags will be added as coverage expands.

DICOM Integration Services

Saga IT builds production DICOM integrations across Mirth Connect, FHIR gateways, and cloud imaging platforms. If you're working with ContentTime or the broader (0008,0033) context: