DICOM Attribute

Body Part Examined (0018,0015)

Keyword
BodyPartExamined
VR
CS
VM
1

Definition

Text description of the part of the body examined. See for Defined Terms Some IODs support the Anatomic Region Sequence (0008,2218), which can provide a more comprehensive mechanism for specifying the body part being examined.

From NEMA PS3.3 §C.7.3.1.

Attribute Metadata

Tag
(0018,0015)
Keyword
BodyPartExamined
Name
Body Part Examined
Value Representation (VR)
CS
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 CS with multiplicity 1.

Used in 4 Modules

This attribute uses the CS 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

  • ImagingStudy.series.bodySite (0018,0015)

Source: HL7 FHIR R5 ImagingStudy (CC0).

HL7 v2 Equivalent

  • OBR-15 Specimen Source (or body site) site-dependent
    ORMORU

    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.

    Source: common convention

Verify against IHE Radiology TF Vol 2 and your facility's interface specification before production use.

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

No representative sample value available — this attribute isn't present in the de-identified pydicom fixture set. Add a fixture covering this attribute to expand coverage.

Mirth Connect Example

Normalize BodyPartExamined for routing (HEAD → BRAIN, etc.) — BodyPartExamined values are loosely standardized — different modalities emit dif

BodyPartExamined values are loosely standardized — different modalities emit different strings for the same anatomy. Normalize before routing to PACS cohorts.

// (0018,0015) Body Part Examined — CS, defined terms in PS3.16 Table L
var raw = String(msg.dataset.attr.(@tag == '00180015').value).trim().toUpperCase();
var synonyms = {
  'HEAD': 'BRAIN', 'CRANIUM': 'BRAIN', 'SKULL': 'HEAD',
  'CSPINE': 'CSPINE', 'C-SPINE': 'CSPINE', 'CERVICAL': 'CSPINE',
  'LSPINE': 'LSPINE', 'L-SPINE': 'LSPINE', 'LUMBAR': 'LSPINE',
  'ABD': 'ABDOMEN', 'ABDOMINAL': 'ABDOMEN',
  'CHEST': 'CHEST', 'THORAX': 'CHEST', 'THORACIC': 'CHEST'
};
var normalized = synonyms[raw] || raw;
channelMap.put('body_part', normalized);
// Override outbound to the normalized form so downstream consumers see consistent values
tmp.dataset.attr.(@tag == '00180015').value = normalized;

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 BodyPartExamined non-standard values break routing

    Diagnosis: PS3.16 Table L defines standard BodyPartExamined values (CHEST, ABDOMEN, BRAIN, etc.) but modalities emit variants ('HEAD' vs 'BRAIN', 'ABD' vs 'ABDOMEN', 'C-SPINE' vs 'CSPINE'). Routing rules that match on the defined term alone miss cases.

    Fix: Normalize BodyPartExamined at perimeter with a synonym map. Compare against PS3.16 Table L on ingress; log deviations so the site can backfill the synonym map over time.

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 BodyPartExamined or the broader (0018,0015) context: