automaDICOM

automaDICOM automatically modifies DICOM tag values based on dynamically evaluated rules.

Default File Locations

These locations will be created on the first time automaDICOM runs.
input directory: {homedir}/Pictures/automaDICOM/input
output directory: {homedir}/Pictures/automaDICOM/output
log directory: {homedir}/Pictures/automaDICOM/logs
rules file: {homedir}/Pictures/automaDICOM/rules.csv
append file: {homedir}/Pictures/automaDICOM/append.csv

Input File/Directory Format

The first command line argument to automaDICOM can be either a single image or directory with images or subdirectories that contain images. This program does not edit any contents of the input file(s).

Rules CSV Format

The rules CSV file tells the program what tag values to change in the DICOM images. A template rules.csv file is provided and stored in the automaDICOM directory in the usr folder, do not edit this file. For the rules file, write one rule per line. The tag and its replacement value must be separated by a semicolon. Use the exact attribute name of the tag.

Simple Example with Static Replacements

Here's a simple example that anonymizes the PatientID, PatientName, and PatientBirthDate tag values.

PatientID; 'Anonymous'
PatientName; 'Anonymous'
PatientBirthDate; '19000101'
StudyTime; '131313'
PatientWeight;0

Note that for a purely numerical sequence to be interpreted as a Number you must not leave a space after the semicolon. Make sure that the new value that you're trying to assign is consistent with the required format for that DICOM tag. For example, Dates must be entered as a string not a number.
At this time only top level tags and the two sub-level tags CodeMeaning and FrameLaterality can be parsed.

Advanced Examples with Tag Requests

To assign a tag value based on another tag value in the same DICOM file, use a single dollar sign followed by the tag name. If the tag has been modified by a preceding rule, the tag's new value will be retrieved instead of the tag's original value. Let's take a look at a generic example:

tag0; $tag1
tag1; $tag1 + $tag55
tag2; $tag1

The value of tag0 will be changed to the original value of tag1. The value of tag1 will be changed to the original value of tag1 followed by the original value of tag55 with no spaces in between. tag2 will be changed to the new value of tag1.
To specifically request the original value of a modified tag, use two dollar signs. Here's another generic example:

tag0; $tag1
tag1; $tag1 + $tag55
tag2; $tag1 + $$tag0

In this example the value of tag2 will be changed to the new value of tag1 followed by the original value of tag0.

Advanced Example with Dynamic Formatting Using JS

Here's a representative rules.csv file with non-standard DICOM tag attribute names that illustrates the features of this program using Javascript:

replaceValueOfThisTagWith; 'staticText'
numberTag;5
thisTagToo; $dicomTagX + 'A1'
anotherTag; 'prefix' + $dicomTagY.toLowerCase() + $dicomTagZ.slice(0,1)
oneMoreTag; ( ($dicomTagZ.includes('Quinton Ashley')) ? 'author' : 'user' )
tagAgain; ((a = $PatientID.slice(0,3).match(/(10|20|30)\d/)) ? a[0] : '400')
file.base

The program dynamically evaluates the replacement values by using the eval() function. If you aren't a Javascript programmer take a look at the powerful methods you can use from the String object and learn about ternary operators! The variable file is the original path of the file, you can get different elements of the file that are parsed by the node.js path module. The variable a can be useful when using ternary operators.

┌─────────────────────┬────────────┐
│          dir        │    base    │
├──────┬              ├──────┬─────┤
│ root │              │ name │ ext │
"  /    home/user/dir / file  .txt "
└──────┴──────────────┴──────┴─────┘

Output Directory and File Name Formats

If no output directory is specified, all modified images will be placed in the same directory as the originals.

Append CSV Format

append.csv is another configuration file like rules.csv. It lets you dynamically structure new paths to append to the specified output directory. A template append.csv file is provided and stored in the automaDICOM directory in the usr folder, do not edit this file. If an output directory is specified on the command line, the append CSV is used. Here's a generic example:

'nameOfTheFirstLevelFolderToPutInTheOutputDirectory'
'secondLevelFolder'
$youCanPutTagsHereToo
$tag2.trim() + 'youCanAlsoUseJS'
'theLastLineIsTheImageName'

The example file above will create a four level directory structure with the last line being used as the output file name. A sequence number is added if you're processing multiple files that would have the same path. Just as in the rules file, you can use tag requests to name the directories and files. A single dollar sign will get the new value of the tag if the tag has been modified or the original value if it was not. Be aware that using two dollar signs will still get the original tag!
The .dcm extension will automatically be added to the original DICOM file if it does not have an extension. There is no option to disable this, since not having the .dcmextension on a DICOM file is improper. If automaDICOM encounters an input file with no extension that isn't a DICOM image it will throw an error and report to the user to give the file its proper extension.
Here's an example with standard DICOM tags that will create a directory with the PatientID value as the first level directory name, with the Modality as the second level subdirectory name, with the SeriesDescription as the file name.

$PatientID
$Modality
$SeriesDescription

Command Line Usage

The command line programs Git Bash, Terminal, and PowerShell are able to write the path names for you if you drag and drop a file or folder onto their window. This will save you a lot of time!
In the example below the cd command means change directory. Using sudo will ask you for your password. Your permission is needed to install automaDICOM as a global CLI. After installing you can now use the automaDICOM command to run the script.
If you are on Windows open up Git Bash and use this format:

    ./automaDICOM.exe '/c/pathTo/imagesDir/or/img.dcm' '/c/optionalPathTo/outputDir'

If you are using macOS open up Terminal and use this format:

    automaDICOM /pathTo/imagesDir/or/img.dcm /optionalPathTo/outputDir

Note that you do not have to specify the paths to the rules.csv or append.csv. automaDICOM uses the corresponding files in the usr folder automatically so don't move them! automaDICOM will only use the files with those exact names so if you want to save a rules or append file for later just name it differently, for example rulesForKnees.csv.

EULA

automaDICOM ("THE SOFTWARE") IS PROVIDED AS IS. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ALL OF THE TERMS OF THIS EULA, DO NOT INSTALL, USE OR COPY THE SOFTWARE. USE THE SOFTWARE AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE AUTHORS MAKE NO WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION FROM OR INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE AUTHORS SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL THE AUTHORS BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE, MISUSE, OR INABILITY TO USE THE SOFTWARE, EVEN IF THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THESE EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY IN ALL JURISDICTIONS. YOU MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS AND SOME OF THESE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

THIS SOFTWARE IS NOT INTENDED FOR PRIMARY DIAGNOSTIC, ONLY FOR SCIENTIFIC USAGE. automaDICOM IS NOT CERTIFIED AS A MEDICAL DEVICE FOR PRIMARY DIAGNOSIS. THERE ARE NO CERTIFICATIONS. YOU CAN ONLY USE automaDICOM AS A REVIEWING AND SCIENTIFIC SOFTWARE, NOT FOR PRIMARY DIAGNOSTIC.