---
name: "dcmtk"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dcmtk"
version: "3.7.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dcmtk"
---

# dcmtk(1)

Execute dcmtk command line tool

## NAME

dcmtk - Execute dcmtk command line tool

## SYNOPSIS

```
dcmtk [options] tool [tool-parameters-and-options]
```

## DESCRIPTION

The **dcmtk** tool maintains a list of all available DCMTK command line tools and acts as a proxy for calling the tools, passing on all arguments and options. The **dcmtk** tool will look for the command line tools in the same directory where **dcmtk** is present, ignoring the system PATH environment variable. This is useful when multiple versions of DCMTK are installed simultaneously.

## PARAMETERS

```
tool  the DCMTK command line tool to call (see list below)
```

## OPTIONS

### general options

```
  -h  --help
        print this help text and exit
      --version
        print version information and exit
  -d  --debug
        debug mode, print debug information
```

## TOOLS

### conversion tools

```
  dcm2img   - Convert DICOM image to standard image format
  dcm2json  - Convert DICOM file and data set to JSON
  dcm2xml   - Convert DICOM file and data set to XML
  dcmconv   - Convert DICOM file encoding
  dcmdecap  - Extract file from DICOM encapsulated storage
  dcmdump   - Dump DICOM file and data set
  dcmencap  - Encapsulate document into DICOM format
  dcmodify  - Modify DICOM files
  dcmp2pgm  - Read DICOM image and presentation state and render bitmap
  drtdump   - Dump DICOM RT file and data set
  dsr2html  - Render DICOM SR file and data set to HTML/XHTML
  dsr2xml   - Convert DICOM SR file and data set to XML
  dsrdump   - Dump DICOM SR file and data set
  dump2dcm  - Convert ASCII dump to DICOM file
  img2dcm   - Convert standard image formats into DICOM format
  json2dcm  - Convert JSON document to DICOM file or data set
  xml2dcm   - Convert XML document to DICOM file or data set
  xml2dsr   - Convert XML document to DICOM SR file
```

### compression tools

```
  dcmcjpeg  - Encode DICOM file to JPEG transfer syntax
  dcmcjpls  - Encode DICOM file to JPEG-LS transfer syntax
  dcmcrle   - Encode DICOM file to RLE transfer syntax
  dcmdjpeg  - Decode JPEG-compressed DICOM file
  dcmdjpls  - Decode JPEG-LS compressed DICOM file
  dcmdrle   - Decode RLE-compressed DICOM file
```

### network tools

```
  dcmprscp  - DICOM basic grayscale print management SCP
  dcmprscu  - Print spooler for presentation state viewer
  dcmpsrcv  - Network receive for presentation state viewer
  dcmpssnd  - Network send for presentation state viewer
  dcmqrscp  - DICOM image archive (central test node)
  dcmrecv   - Simple DICOM storage SCP (receiver)
  dcmsend   - Simple DICOM storage SCU (sender)
  echoscu   - DICOM verification (C-ECHO) SCU
  findscu   - DICOM query (C-FIND) SCU
  getscu    - DICOM retrieve (C-GET) SCU
  movescu   - DICOM retrieve (C-MOVE) SCU
  storescp  - DICOM storage (C-STORE) SCP
  storescu  - DICOM storage (C-STORE) SCU
  termscu   - DICOM termination SCU
  wlmscpfs  - DICOM Basic Worklist Management SCP (based on data files)
```

### miscellaneous tools

```
  dcmdspfn  - Export standard display curves to a text file
  dcmftest  - Test if file uses DICOM part 10 format
  dcmicmp   - Compare DICOM images and compute difference metrics
  dcmmkcrv  - Add 2D curve data to image
  dcmmkdir  - Create a DICOMDIR file
  dcmmklut  - Create DICOM look-up tables
  dcmpschk  - Checking tool for presentation states
  dcmpsmk   - Create DICOM grayscale softcopy presentation state
  dcmpsprt  - Read DICOM images and presentation states and render print job
  dcmqridx  - Register a DICOM image file in an image database index file
  dcmqrti   - Telnet Initiator
  dcmquant  - Convert DICOM color images to palette color
  dcmscale  - Scale DICOM images
  dcmsign   - Sign and Verify DICOM Files
  dcod2lum  - Convert hardcopy characteristic curve file to softcopy format
  dconvlum  - Convert VeriLUM "CCx_xx.dat" files to DCMTK display files
```

### aliases for common tools

```
  convert   - Changes the encoding of a DICOM file (calls dcmconv)
  dump      - Dumps the contents of a DICOM file (calls dcmdump)
  echo      - Checks whether a DICOM server is accessible (calls echoscu)
  find      - Queries a Q/R or Modality Worklist server (calls findscu)
  get       - Downloads from a Q/R server using C-GET (calls getscu)
  mkdir     - Creates a DICOMDIR file for storage media (calls dcmmkdir)
  modify    - Modifies the contents of a DICOM file (calls dcmodify)
  move      - Downloads from a Q/R server using C-MOVE (calls movescu)
  send      - Transfers DICOM instances to a Storage server (calls dcmsend)
  sign      - Creates and verifies digital signatures (calls dcmsign)
  toimg     - Renders a DICOM image to another image format (calls dcm2img)
  tojson    - Converts a DICOM file to JSON format (calls dcm2json)
  toxml     - Converts a DICOM file to XML format (calls dcm2xml)
```

## EXAMPLES

```
dcmtk dcmdump file.dcm
```

Calls the **dcmdump** tool with the parameter 'file.dcm'.

```
dcmtk dcmodify -m "PatientName=Doe^John" file.dcm
```

Calls the **dcmodify** tool to change the patient's name in 'file.dcm'.

## SEE ALSO

**[dcm2img(1)](/dcm2img/1.md), [dcm2json(1)](/dcm2json/1.md), [dcm2xml(1)](/dcm2xml/1.md), [dcmcjpeg(1)](/dcmcjpeg/1.md), [dcmcjpls(1)](/dcmcjpls/1.md), [dcmconv(1)](/dcmconv/1.md), [dcmcrle(1)](/dcmcrle/1.md), [dcmdecap(1)](/dcmdecap/1.md), [dcmdjpeg(1)](/dcmdjpeg/1.md), [dcmdjpls(1)](/dcmdjpls/1.md), [dcmdrle(1)](/dcmdrle/1.md), [dcmdspfn(1)](/dcmdspfn/1.md), [dcmencap(1)](/dcmencap/1.md), [dcmftest(1)](/dcmftest/1.md), [dcmicmp(1)](/dcmicmp/1.md), [dcmmkcrv(1)](/dcmmkcrv/1.md), [dcmmkdir(1)](/dcmmkdir/1.md), [dcmmklut(1)](/dcmmklut/1.md), [dcmodify(1)](/dcmodify/1.md), [dcmp2pgm(1)](/dcmp2pgm/1.md), [dcmprscp(1)](/dcmprscp/1.md), [dcmprscu(1)](/dcmprscu/1.md), [dcmpschk(1)](/dcmpschk/1.md), [dcmpsmk(1)](/dcmpsmk/1.md), [dcmpsprt(1)](/dcmpsprt/1.md), [dcmpsrcv(1)](/dcmpsrcv/1.md), [dcmpssnd(1)](/dcmpssnd/1.md), [dcmqridx(1)](/dcmqridx/1.md), [dcmqrscp(1)](/dcmqrscp/1.md), [dcmqrti(1)](/dcmqrti/1.md), [dcmquant(1)](/dcmquant/1.md), [dcmrecv(1)](/dcmrecv/1.md), [dcmscale(1)](/dcmscale/1.md), [dcmsend(1)](/dcmsend/1.md), [dcmsign(1)](/dcmsign/1.md), [dcod2lum(1)](/dcod2lum/1.md), [dconvlum(1)](/dconvlum/1.md), [drtdump(1)](/drtdump/1.md), [dsr2html(1)](/dsr2html/1.md), [dsr2xml(1)](/dsr2xml/1.md), [dsrdump(1)](/dsrdump/1.md), [dump2dcm(1)](/dump2dcm/1.md), [echoscu(1)](/echoscu/1.md), [findscu(1)](/findscu/1.md), [getscu(1)](/getscu/1.md), [img2dcm(1)](/img2dcm/1.md), [json2dcm(1)](/json2dcm/1.md), [movescu(1)](/movescu/1.md), [storescp(1)](/storescp/1.md), [storescu(1)](/storescu/1.md), [termscu(1)](/termscu/1.md), [wlmscpfs(1)](/wlmscpfs/1.md), [xml2dcm(1)](/xml2dcm/1.md), [xml2dsr(1)](/xml2dsr/1.md)**

## COPYRIGHT

**Copyright (C) 2025-2026 by OFFIS e.V., Escherweg 2, 26121 Oldenburg, Germany.**