DICOM Attribute

Samples per Pixel (0028,0002)

Keyword
SamplesPerPixel
VR
US
VM
1

Definition

Number of samples (planes) in this image. See for further explanation.

From NEMA PS3.3 §C.7.6.24.

Attribute Metadata

Tag
(0028,0002)
Keyword
SamplesPerPixel
Name
Samples per Pixel
Value Representation (VR)
US
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 US with multiplicity 1.

Used in 31 Modules

This attribute uses the US 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 Preserved
  • Azure DICOM Preserved
  • Google Cloud Healthcare Preserved

Samples Per Pixel — preserved by all three. 1 for monochrome, 3 for RGB.

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

  • 1 CT_small.dcm
  • 3 ExplVR_BigEnd.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

  • high SamplesPerPixel=3 on 'grayscale' PhotometricInterpretation

    Diagnosis: Ultrasound or secondary capture emits SamplesPerPixel=3 (color) with PhotometricInterpretation=MONOCHROME2 (grayscale). Conflicting values; viewers handle inconsistently — some render black, some crash.

    Fix: Validate the SamplesPerPixel / PhotometricInterpretation combination at ingress. MONOCHROME1/2 require 1; RGB/YBR_* require 3; PALETTE COLOR requires 1 with lookup tables. Reject or quarantine inconsistent combinations.

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 SamplesPerPixel or the broader (0028,0002) context: