How do I open a DICOMDIR file?#
Use the complete study folder rather than opening the index in a photo app. No file conversion or change of extension is needed.
What is inside DICOMDIR?#
DICOMDIR is the directory file used for DICOM media such as hospital CDs. It organizes records for patients, studies, series, and the files belonging to them. A viewer can use those records to find the images. DICOMDIR can contain identifying information even though the full scan images are stored in separate files.
A typical disc might look like this:
DICOMDIR— the index at the top of the disc.DICOMorIMAGES— folders containing the image files.Viewer.exe— an optional Windows application, not the images.Report.pdf— sometimes included; the written report is separate from the scan.
Names vary. Files such as IM000001 can be valid DICOM images without a .dcm extension. Do not rename them just to make them look like photographs: the index can refer to their original paths.
Step 1 — Copy the complete folder#
Create a new folder on your own computer and copy the entire disc contents into it. Keep the folder structure intact. If you received a ZIP, extract the complete archive into one folder first. Copying only DICOMDIR leaves out the images it points to.
If your computer has no disc drive, use a compatible external drive, copy the disc on another computer, or ask the imaging center for a download. Our hospital scan CD guide explains those options.
Step 2 — Open the folder in a viewer#
Open the DICOM viewer on a desktop or laptop, then drop the copied parent folder or use the folder picker. The viewer reads the image files locally. You do not need to run the application included on the disc.
OpenMyScan can identify image files from their contents, so a missing DICOMDIR does not automatically mean the images are lost. A folder of actual DICOM images may still open. The reverse is different: an index without its image files cannot recreate them.
Step 3 — Check the study and series#
Select a series and scroll through its images. Check the study date and the available series before sharing a copy. Seeing one series load confirms that those files can be viewed; it does not prove that the hospital exported the entire examination.
Why are images missing when I open DICOMDIR?#
| What you received | What to do |
|---|---|
| Only one DICOMDIR file | Ask the sender for the complete study folder or ZIP, including the image files. |
| An index with empty or renamed folders | Copy again from the original disc, preserving names and folders. |
| A folder of images but no index | Try opening the image folder. The viewer may group the files using their DICOM metadata. |
| Only a report PDF | Ask the imaging center for the original images in DICOM format. |
For loading errors or a blank image, use the DICOM troubleshooting guide. Keep the original files unchanged while trying a fresh copy.
Source and further reading#
The DICOM standard's directory-file specification describes DICOMDIR. For the difference between the format and its file extensions, see what a DICOM file contains.
Common questions#
Can I convert DICOMDIR to JPG?
Not by itself. DICOMDIR is an index, not the full scan images. Open the complete image folder, then export a selected image with the JPG converter.
Should I add .dcm to files with no extension?
Keep the original filenames. DICOM media can contain images without extensions, and renaming them can break directory references.
Does a missing DICOMDIR mean the scan is unusable?
Not necessarily. OpenMyScan can scan the actual image files in a folder. If the image files are missing too, request a complete copy from the sender.