/usr/bin/dcmodify

$dcmtk: dcmodify v3.7.1 2026-10-15 $

dcmodify: Modify DICOM files
usage: dcmodify [options] dcmfile-in...

parameters:
  dcmfile-in                     DICOM input filename to be modified
                                 ("-" for stdin/stdout)

general options:
  -h      --help                 print this help text and exit
          --version              print version information and exit
          --arguments            print expanded command line arguments
  -q      --quiet                quiet mode, print no warnings and errors
  -v      --verbose              verbose mode, print processing details
  -d      --debug                debug mode, print debug information
  -ll     --log-level            [l]evel: string constant
                                 (fatal, error, warn, info, debug, trace)
                                 use level l for the logger
  -lc     --log-config           [f]ilename: string
                                 use config file f for the logger
input options:
  input file format:
    +f    --read-file            read file format or data set (default)
    +fo   --read-file-only       read file format only
    -f    --read-dataset         read data set without file meta information
    +fc   --create-file          create file format if file does not exist
  input transfer syntax:
    -t=   --read-xfer-auto       use TS recognition (default)
    -td   --read-xfer-detect     ignore TS specified in the file meta header
    -te   --read-xfer-little     read with explicit VR little endian TS
    -tb   --read-xfer-big        read with explicit VR big endian TS
    -ti   --read-xfer-implicit   read with implicit VR little endian TS
  parsing of odd-length attributes:
    +ao   --accept-odd-length    accept odd length attributes (default)
    +ae   --assume-even-length   assume real length is one byte larger
  automatic data correction:
    +dc   --enable-correction    enable automatic data correction (default)
    -dc   --disable-correction   disable automatic data correction
  bitstream format of deflated input:
    +bd   --bitstream-deflated   expect deflated bitstream (default)
    +bz   --bitstream-zlib       expect deflated zlib bitstream
processing options:
  backup input files:
          --backup               backup files before modifying (default)
    -nb   --no-backup            don't backup files (DANGEROUS)
  insert mode:
    -i    --insert               "[t]ag-path=[v]alue"
                                 insert (or overwrite) path at position t
                                 with value v
    -if   --insert-from-file     "[t]ag-path=[f]ilename"
                                 insert (or overwrite) path at position t
                                 with value from file f
    -nrc  --no-reserv-check      do not check private reservations
                                 when inserting private tags
  modify mode:
    -m    --modify               "[t]ag-path=[v]alue"
                                 modify tag at position t to value v
    -mf   --modify-from-file     "[t]ag-path=[f]ilename"
                                 modify tag at position t to value from file f
    -ma   --modify-all           "[t]ag=[v]alue"
                                 modify ALL matching tags t in file to value v
  erase mode:
    -e    --erase                "[t]ag-path"
                                 erase tag/item at position t
    -ea   --erase-all            "[t]ag"
                                 erase ALL matching tags t in file
    -ep   --erase-private        erase ALL private data from file
  unique identifier:
    -gst  --gen-stud-uid         generate new Study Instance UID
    -gse  --gen-ser-uid          generate new Series Instance UID
    -gin  --gen-inst-uid         generate new SOP Instance UID
    -nmu  --no-meta-uid          do not update metaheader UIDs if related
                                 UIDs in the dataset are modified
  conditional execution:
    -iff  --process-if           "[c]ondition"
                                 only perform modification(s)
                                 if condition c holds true
  error handling:
    -ie   --ignore-errors        continue with file, if modify error occurs
    -imt  --ignore-missing-tags  treat 'tag not found' as success
                                 when modifying or erasing in datasets
    -iun  --ignore-un-values     do not try writing any values to elements
                                 having a VR of UN
output options:
  output file format:
    +F    --write-file           write file format (default)
    -F    --write-dataset        write data set without file meta information
  output transfer syntax:
    +t=   --write-xfer-same      write with same TS as input (default)
    +te   --write-xfer-little    write with explicit VR little endian TS
    +tb   --write-xfer-big       write with explicit VR big endian TS
    +ti   --write-xfer-implicit  write with implicit VR little endian TS
  post-1993 value representations:
    +u    --enable-new-vr        enable support for new VRs (UN/UT) (default)
    -u    --disable-new-vr       disable support for new VRs, convert to OB
  group length encoding:
    +g=   --group-length-recalc  recalculate group lengths if present (default)
    +g    --group-length-create  always write with group length elements
    -g    --group-length-remove  always write without group length elements
  length encoding in sequences and items:
    +le   --length-explicit      write with explicit lengths (default)
    -le   --length-undefined     write with undefined lengths
  data set trailing padding (not with --write-dataset):
    -p=   --padding-retain       do not change padding
                                 (default if not --write-dataset)
    -p    --padding-off          no padding (implicit if --write-dataset)
    +p    --padding-create       [f]ile-pad [i]tem-pad: integer
                                 align file on multiple of f bytes
                                 and items on multiple of i bytes