dicom 0.9.6 → 0.9.7

data/lib/dicom/file_handler.rb

@@ -1,122 +1,122 @@
-module DICOM
-
-  # This class handles DICOM files that have been received through network communication.
-  #
-  # === Notes
-  #
-  # The purpose of this class is to make it as easy as possible for users to customize the way
-  # DICOM files are handled when they are received through the network.
-  #
-  # The default behaviour is to save the files to disk using a folder structure determined by a  few select tags of the DICOM file.
-  #
-  # Some suggested alternatives for user customization:
-  # * Analyzing tags and/or image data to determine further actions.
-  # * Modify the DICOM object before it is saved to disk.
-  # * Modify the folder structure in which DICOM files are saved to disk.
-  # * Store DICOM contents in a database (highly relevant if you are building a Ruby on Rails DICOM application).
-  # * Retransmit the DICOM object to another network destination using the DClient class.
-  # * Write information to a log file.
-  #
-  class FileHandler
-
-    # Saves a single DICOM object to file.
-    # Returns a status message stating where the file has been saved.
-    #
-    # Modify this method if you want to change the way your server saves incoming files.
-    #
-    # === Notes
-    #
-    # As default, files will be saved with the following path:
-    # <tt> path_prefix/<PatientID>/<StudyDate>/<Modality>/ </tt>
-    #
-    # === Parameters
-    #
-    # * <tt>path_prefix</tt> -- String. Specifies the root path of the DICOM storage.
-    # * <tt>dcm</tt> -- A DObject instance which will be written to file.
-    # * <tt>transfer_syntax</tt> -- String. Specifies the transfer syntax that will be used to write the DICOM file.
-    #
-    def self.save_file(path_prefix, dcm, transfer_syntax)
-      # File name is set using the SOP Instance UID:
-      file_name = dcm.value("0008,0018") || "missing_SOP_UID"
-      extension = ".dcm"
-      folders = Array.new(3)
-      folders[0] = dcm.value("0010,0020") || "PatientID"
-      folders[1] = dcm.value("0008,0020") || "StudyDate"
-      folders[2] = dcm.value("0008,0060") || "Modality"
-      local_path = folders.join(File::SEPARATOR) + File::SEPARATOR + file_name
-      full_path = path_prefix + local_path + extension
-      # Save the DICOM object to disk:
-      dcm.write(full_path, :transfer_syntax => transfer_syntax)
-      message = [:info, "DICOM file saved to: #{full_path}"]
-      return message
-    end
-
-    # Handles the reception of a series of DICOM objects which are received in a single association.
-    #
-    # Modify this method if you want to change the way your server handles incoming file series.
-    #
-    # === Notes
-    #
-    # Default action: Pass each file to the class method which saves files to disk.
-    #
-    # === Parameters
-    #
-    # * <tt>path</tt> -- String. Specifies the root path of the DICOM storage.
-    # * <tt>objects</tt> -- An array containing the DObject instances which were received.
-    # * <tt>transfer_syntaxes</tt> -- An array containing the transfer syntaxes belonging to the received objects.
-    #
-    def self.receive_files(path, objects, transfer_syntaxes)
-      all_success = true
-      successful, too_short, parse_fail, handle_fail = 0, 0, 0, 0
-      total = objects.length
-      message = nil
-      messages = Array.new
-      # Process each DICOM object:
-      objects.each_index do |i|
-        if objects[i].length > 8
-          # Temporarily increase the log threshold to suppress messages from the DObject class:
-          server_level = DICOM.logger.level
-          DICOM.logger.level = Logger::FATAL
-          # Parse the received data string and load it to a DICOM object:
-          dcm = DObject.parse(objects[i], :no_meta => true, :syntax => transfer_syntaxes[i])
-          # Reset the logg threshold:
-          DICOM.logger.level = server_level
-          if dcm.read?
-            begin
-              message = self.save_file(path, dcm, transfer_syntaxes[i])
-              successful += 1
-            rescue
-              handle_fail += 1
-              all_success = false
-              messages << [:error, "Saving file failed!"]
-            end
-          else
-            parse_fail += 1
-            all_success = false
-            messages << [:error, "Invalid DICOM data encountered: The received string was not parsed successfully."]
-          end
-        else
-          too_short += 1
-          all_success = false
-          messages << [:error, "Invalid data encountered: The received string was too small to contain any DICOM data."]
-        end
-      end
-      # Create a summary status message, when multiple files have been received:
-      if total > 1
-        if successful == total
-          messages << [:info, "All #{total} DICOM files received successfully."]
-        else
-          if successful == 0
-            messages << [:warn, "All #{total} received DICOM files failed!"]
-          else
-            messages << [:warn, "Only #{successful} of #{total} DICOM files received successfully!"]
-          end
-        end
-      else
-        messages = [message] if all_success
-      end
-      return all_success, messages
-    end
-
-  end
+module DICOM
+
+  # This class handles DICOM files that have been received through network communication.
+  #
+  # === Notes
+  #
+  # The purpose of this class is to make it as easy as possible for users to customize the way
+  # DICOM files are handled when they are received through the network.
+  #
+  # The default behaviour is to save the files to disk using a folder structure determined by a  few select tags of the DICOM file.
+  #
+  # Some suggested alternatives for user customization:
+  # * Analyzing tags and/or image data to determine further actions.
+  # * Modify the DICOM object before it is saved to disk.
+  # * Modify the folder structure in which DICOM files are saved to disk.
+  # * Store DICOM contents in a database (highly relevant if you are building a Ruby on Rails DICOM application).
+  # * Retransmit the DICOM object to another network destination using the DClient class.
+  # * Write information to a log file.
+  #
+  class FileHandler
+
+    # Saves a single DICOM object to file.
+    # Returns a status message stating where the file has been saved.
+    #
+    # Modify this method if you want to change the way your server saves incoming files.
+    #
+    # === Notes
+    #
+    # As default, files will be saved with the following path:
+    # <tt> path_prefix/<PatientID>/<StudyDate>/<Modality>/ </tt>
+    #
+    # === Parameters
+    #
+    # * <tt>path_prefix</tt> -- String. Specifies the root path of the DICOM storage.
+    # * <tt>dcm</tt> -- A DObject instance which will be written to file.
+    # * <tt>transfer_syntax</tt> -- String. Specifies the transfer syntax that will be used to write the DICOM file.
+    #
+    def self.save_file(path_prefix, dcm, transfer_syntax)
+      # File name is set using the SOP Instance UID:
+      file_name = dcm.value("0008,0018") || "missing_SOP_UID"
+      extension = ".dcm"
+      folders = Array.new(3)
+      folders[0] = dcm.value("0010,0020") || "PatientID"
+      folders[1] = dcm.value("0008,0020") || "StudyDate"
+      folders[2] = dcm.value("0008,0060") || "Modality"
+      local_path = folders.join(File::SEPARATOR) + File::SEPARATOR + file_name
+      full_path = path_prefix + local_path + extension
+      # Save the DICOM object to disk:
+      dcm.write(full_path, :transfer_syntax => transfer_syntax)
+      message = [:info, "DICOM file saved to: #{full_path}"]
+      return message
+    end
+
+    # Handles the reception of a series of DICOM objects which are received in a single association.
+    #
+    # Modify this method if you want to change the way your server handles incoming file series.
+    #
+    # === Notes
+    #
+    # Default action: Pass each file to the class method which saves files to disk.
+    #
+    # === Parameters
+    #
+    # * <tt>path</tt> -- String. Specifies the root path of the DICOM storage.
+    # * <tt>objects</tt> -- An array containing the DObject instances which were received.
+    # * <tt>transfer_syntaxes</tt> -- An array containing the transfer syntaxes belonging to the received objects.
+    #
+    def self.receive_files(path, objects, transfer_syntaxes)
+      all_success = true
+      successful, too_short, parse_fail, handle_fail = 0, 0, 0, 0
+      total = objects.length
+      message = nil
+      messages = Array.new
+      # Process each DICOM object:
+      objects.each_index do |i|
+        if objects[i].length > 8
+          # Temporarily increase the log threshold to suppress messages from the DObject class:
+          server_level = DICOM.logger.level
+          DICOM.logger.level = Logger::FATAL
+          # Parse the received data string and load it to a DICOM object:
+          dcm = DObject.parse(objects[i], :no_meta => true, :syntax => transfer_syntaxes[i])
+          # Reset the logg threshold:
+          DICOM.logger.level = server_level
+          if dcm.read?
+            begin
+              message = self.save_file(path, dcm, transfer_syntaxes[i])
+              successful += 1
+            rescue
+              handle_fail += 1
+              all_success = false
+              messages << [:error, "Saving file failed!"]
+            end
+          else
+            parse_fail += 1
+            all_success = false
+            messages << [:error, "Invalid DICOM data encountered: The received string was not parsed successfully."]
+          end
+        else
+          too_short += 1
+          all_success = false
+          messages << [:error, "Invalid data encountered: The received string was too small to contain any DICOM data."]
+        end
+      end
+      # Create a summary status message, when multiple files have been received:
+      if total > 1
+        if successful == total
+          messages << [:info, "All #{total} DICOM files received successfully."]
+        else
+          if successful == 0
+            messages << [:warn, "All #{total} received DICOM files failed!"]
+          else
+            messages << [:warn, "Only #{successful} of #{total} DICOM files received successfully!"]
+          end
+        end
+      else
+        messages = [message] if all_success
+      end
+      return all_success, messages
+    end
+
+  end
 end

data/lib/dicom/general/constants.rb

@@ -1,210 +1,210 @@
-module DICOM
-
-  # Ruby DICOM's registered DICOM UID root (Implementation Class UID).
-  UID_ROOT = "1.2.826.0.1.3680043.8.641"
-  # Ruby DICOM name & version (max 16 characters).
-  NAME = "RUBY-DCM_" + DICOM::VERSION
-
-  # Item tag.
-  ITEM_TAG = "FFFE,E000"
-  # All Item related tags (includes both types of delimitation items).
-  ITEM_TAGS = ["FFFE,E000", "FFFE,E00D", "FFFE,E0DD"]
-  # Item delimiter tag.
-  ITEM_DELIMITER = "FFFE,E00D"
-  # Sequence delimiter tag.
-  SEQUENCE_DELIMITER = "FFFE,E0DD"
-  # All delimiter tags.
-  DELIMITER_TAGS = ["FFFE,E00D", "FFFE,E0DD"]
-
-  # The VR used for the item elements.
-  ITEM_VR = "  "
-
-  # Pixel tag.
-  PIXEL_TAG = "7FE0,0010"
-  # Name of the pixel tag when holding encapsulated data.
-  ENCAPSULATED_PIXEL_NAME = "Encapsulated Pixel Data"
-  # Name of encapsulated items.
-  PIXEL_ITEM_NAME = "Pixel Data Item"
-
-  # File meta group.
-  META_GROUP = "0002"
-
-  # Group length element.
-  GROUP_LENGTH = "0000"
-
-  # Implicit, little endian (the default transfer syntax).
-  IMPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN = "1.2.840.10008.1.2"
-  # Explicit, little endian transfer syntax.
-  EXPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN = "1.2.840.10008.1.2.1"
-  # Explicit, big endian transfer syntax.
-  EXPLICIT_BIG_ENDIAN = "1.2.840.10008.1.2.2"
-
-  # Verification SOP class UID.
-  VERIFICATION_SOP = "1.2.840.10008.1.1"
-  # Application context SOP class UID.
-  APPLICATION_CONTEXT = "1.2.840.10008.3.1.1.1"
-
-  # Network transmission successful.
-  SUCCESS = 0
-  # Network proposition accepted.
-  ACCEPTANCE = 0
-  # Presentation context rejected by abstract syntax.
-  ABSTRACT_SYNTAX_REJECTED = 3
-  # Presentation context rejected by transfer syntax.
-  TRANSFER_SYNTAX_REJECTED = 4
-
-  # Some network command element codes:
-  C_STORE_RQ = 1 # (encodes to 0001H as US)
-  C_GET_RQ = 16 # (encodes to 0010H as US)
-  C_FIND_RQ = 32 # (encodes to 0020H as US)
-  C_MOVE_RQ = 33 # (encodes to 0021H as US)
-  C_ECHO_RQ = 48 # (encodes to 0030 as US)
-  C_CANCEL_RQ = 4095 # (encodes to 0FFFH as US)
-  C_STORE_RSP = 32769 # (encodes to 8001H as US)
-  C_GET_RSP = 32784 # (encodes to 8010H as US)
-  C_FIND_RSP = 32800 # (encodes to 8020H as US)
-  C_MOVE_RSP = 32801 # (encodes to 8021H as US)
-  C_ECHO_RSP = 32816 # (encodes to 8030H as US)
-  NO_DATA_SET_PRESENT = 257 # (encodes to 0101H as US)
-  DATA_SET_PRESENT = 1
-  DEFAULT_MESSAGE_ID = 1
-
-  # The network communication flags:
-  DATA_MORE_FRAGMENTS = "00"
-  COMMAND_MORE_FRAGMENTS = "01"
-  DATA_LAST_FRAGMENT = "02"
-  COMMAND_LAST_FRAGMENT = "03"
-
-  # Network communication PDU types:
-  PDU_ASSOCIATION_REQUEST = "01"
-  PDU_ASSOCIATION_ACCEPT = "02"
-  PDU_ASSOCIATION_REJECT = "03"
-  PDU_DATA = "04"
-  PDU_RELEASE_REQUEST = "05"
-  PDU_RELEASE_RESPONSE = "06"
-  PDU_ABORT = "07"
-
-  # Network communication item types:
-  ITEM_APPLICATION_CONTEXT = "10"
-  ITEM_PRESENTATION_CONTEXT_REQUEST = "20"
-  ITEM_PRESENTATION_CONTEXT_RESPONSE = "21"
-  ITEM_ABSTRACT_SYNTAX = "30"
-  ITEM_TRANSFER_SYNTAX = "40"
-  ITEM_USER_INFORMATION = "50"
-  ITEM_MAX_LENGTH = "51"
-  ITEM_IMPLEMENTATION_UID = "52"
-  ITEM_MAX_OPERATIONS_INVOKED = "53"
-  ITEM_ROLE_NEGOTIATION = "54"
-  ITEM_IMPLEMENTATION_VERSION = "55"
-
-  # Varaibles used to determine endianness.
-  x = 0xdeadbeef
-  endian_type = {
-    Array(x).pack("V*") => false, # Little
-    Array(x).pack("N*") => true   # Big
-  }
-  # System (CPU) Endianness.
-  CPU_ENDIAN = endian_type[Array(x).pack("L*")]
-
-  # Transfer Syntaxes (taken from the DICOM Specification PS 3.5, Chapter 10).
-
-  # General
-  TXS_IMPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN            = '1.2.840.10008.1.2'      # also defined as IMPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN, default transfer syntax
-  TXS_EXPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN            = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.1'    # also defined as EXPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN
-  TXS_EXPLICIT_BIG_ENDIAN               = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.2'    # also defined as EXPLICIT_BIG_ENDIAN
-
-  # TRANSFER SYNTAXES FOR ENCAPSULATION OF ENCODED PIXEL DATA
-  TXS_JPEG_BASELINE                     = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.50'
-  TXS_JPEG_EXTENDED                     = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.51'
-  TXS_JPEG_LOSSLESS_NH                  = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.57' # NH: non-hirarchical
-  TXS_JPEG_LOSSLESS_NH_FOP              = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.70' # NH: non-hirarchical, FOP: first-order prediction
-
-  TXS_JPEG_LS_LOSSLESS                  = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.80'
-  TXS_JPEG_LS_NEAR_LOSSLESS             = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.81'
-
-  TXS_JPEG_2000_PART1_LOSSLESS          = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.90'
-  TXS_JPEG_2000_PART1_LOSSLESS_OR_LOSSY = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.91'
-  TXS_JPEG_2000_PART2_LOSSLESS          = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.92'
-  TXS_JPEG_2000_PART2_LOSSLESS_OR_LOSSY = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.93'
-
-  TXS_MPEG2_MP_ML                       = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.100'
-  TXS_MPEG2_MP_HL                       = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.101'
-
-  TXS_DEFLATED_LITTLE_ENDIAN            = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.1.99'  # ZIP Compression
-
-  TXS_JPIP                              = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.94'
-  TXS_JPIP_DEFLATE                      = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.95'
-
-  TXS_RLE                               = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.5'
-
-
-  # Photometric Interpretations
-  # Taken from DICOM Specification PS 3.3 C.7.6.3.1.2 Photometric Interpretation
-
-  PI_MONOCHROME1     = 'MONOCHROME1'
-  PI_MONOCHROME2     = 'MONOCHROME2'
-  PI_PALETTE_COLOR   = 'PALETTE COLOR'
-  PI_RGB             = 'RGB'
-  PI_YBR_FULL        = 'YBR_FULL'
-  PI_YBR_FULL_422    = 'YBR_FULL_422 '
-  PI_YBR_PARTIAL_422 = 'YBR_PARTIAL_422'
-  PI_YBR_PARTIAL_420 = 'YBR_PARTIAL_420'
-  PI_YBR_ICT         = 'YBR_ICT'
-  PI_YBR_RCT         = 'YBR_RCT'
-
-  # Retired Photometric Interpretations, are those needed to be supported?
-  PI_HSV             = 'HSV'
-  PI_ARGB            = 'ARGB'
-  PI_CMYK            = 'CMYK'
-
-  # The relationship between DICOM Character Set and Encoding name.
-  ENCODING_NAME = {
-    'ISO_IR 100' => 'ISO-8859-1',
-    'ISO_IR 101' => 'ISO-8859-2',
-    'ISO_IR 109' => 'ISO-8859-3',
-    'ISO_IR 110' => 'ISO-8859-4',
-    'ISO_IR 144' => 'ISO-8859-5',
-    'ISO_IR 127' => 'ISO-8859-6',
-    'ISO_IR 126' => 'ISO-8859-7',
-    'ISO_IR 138' => 'ISO-8859-8',
-    'ISO_IR 148' => 'ISO-8859-9',
-    'ISO_IR 13'  => 'JIS_X0201',
-    'ISO_IR 166' => 'ISO-8859-11',
-    'GB18030'    => 'GB18030',
-    'ISO_IR 192' => 'UTF-8'
-  }
-  ENCODING_NAME.default = 'ASCII-8BIT'
-
-  # The type conversion (method) used for the various value representations.
-  VALUE_CONVERSION = {
-    'BY' => :to_i,
-    'US' => :to_i,
-    'SS' => :to_i,
-    'UL' => :to_i,
-    'SL' => :to_i,
-    'OB' => :to_i,
-    'OW' => :to_i,
-    'OF' => :to_f,
-    'FL' => :to_f,
-    'FD' => :to_f,
-    'AT' => :to_s,
-    'AE' => :to_s,
-    'AS' => :to_s,
-    'CS' => :to_s,
-    'DA' => :to_s,
-    'DS' => :to_s,
-    'DT' => :to_s,
-    'IS' => :to_s,
-    'LO' => :to_s,
-    'LT' => :to_s,
-    'PN' => :to_s,
-    'SH' => :to_s,
-    'ST' => :to_s,
-    'TM' => :to_s,
-    'UI' => :to_s,
-    'UT' => :to_s
-  }
-  VALUE_CONVERSION.default = :to_s
-
-end
-
+module DICOM
+
+  # Ruby DICOM's registered DICOM UID root (Implementation Class UID).
+  UID_ROOT = "1.2.826.0.1.3680043.8.641"
+  # Ruby DICOM name & version (max 16 characters).
+  NAME = "RUBY-DCM_" + DICOM::VERSION
+
+  # Item tag.
+  ITEM_TAG = "FFFE,E000"
+  # All Item related tags (includes both types of delimitation items).
+  ITEM_TAGS = ["FFFE,E000", "FFFE,E00D", "FFFE,E0DD"]
+  # Item delimiter tag.
+  ITEM_DELIMITER = "FFFE,E00D"
+  # Sequence delimiter tag.
+  SEQUENCE_DELIMITER = "FFFE,E0DD"
+  # All delimiter tags.
+  DELIMITER_TAGS = ["FFFE,E00D", "FFFE,E0DD"]
+
+  # The VR used for the item elements.
+  ITEM_VR = "  "
+
+  # Pixel tag.
+  PIXEL_TAG = "7FE0,0010"
+  # Name of the pixel tag when holding encapsulated data.
+  ENCAPSULATED_PIXEL_NAME = "Encapsulated Pixel Data"
+  # Name of encapsulated items.
+  PIXEL_ITEM_NAME = "Pixel Data Item"
+
+  # File meta group.
+  META_GROUP = "0002"
+
+  # Group length element.
+  GROUP_LENGTH = "0000"
+
+  # Implicit, little endian (the default transfer syntax).
+  IMPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN = "1.2.840.10008.1.2"
+  # Explicit, little endian transfer syntax.
+  EXPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN = "1.2.840.10008.1.2.1"
+  # Explicit, big endian transfer syntax.
+  EXPLICIT_BIG_ENDIAN = "1.2.840.10008.1.2.2"
+
+  # Verification SOP class UID.
+  VERIFICATION_SOP = "1.2.840.10008.1.1"
+  # Application context SOP class UID.
+  APPLICATION_CONTEXT = "1.2.840.10008.3.1.1.1"
+
+  # Network transmission successful.
+  SUCCESS = 0
+  # Network proposition accepted.
+  ACCEPTANCE = 0
+  # Presentation context rejected by abstract syntax.
+  ABSTRACT_SYNTAX_REJECTED = 3
+  # Presentation context rejected by transfer syntax.
+  TRANSFER_SYNTAX_REJECTED = 4
+
+  # Some network command element codes:
+  C_STORE_RQ = 1 # (encodes to 0001H as US)
+  C_GET_RQ = 16 # (encodes to 0010H as US)
+  C_FIND_RQ = 32 # (encodes to 0020H as US)
+  C_MOVE_RQ = 33 # (encodes to 0021H as US)
+  C_ECHO_RQ = 48 # (encodes to 0030 as US)
+  C_CANCEL_RQ = 4095 # (encodes to 0FFFH as US)
+  C_STORE_RSP = 32769 # (encodes to 8001H as US)
+  C_GET_RSP = 32784 # (encodes to 8010H as US)
+  C_FIND_RSP = 32800 # (encodes to 8020H as US)
+  C_MOVE_RSP = 32801 # (encodes to 8021H as US)
+  C_ECHO_RSP = 32816 # (encodes to 8030H as US)
+  NO_DATA_SET_PRESENT = 257 # (encodes to 0101H as US)
+  DATA_SET_PRESENT = 1
+  DEFAULT_MESSAGE_ID = 1
+
+  # The network communication flags:
+  DATA_MORE_FRAGMENTS = "00"
+  COMMAND_MORE_FRAGMENTS = "01"
+  DATA_LAST_FRAGMENT = "02"
+  COMMAND_LAST_FRAGMENT = "03"
+
+  # Network communication PDU types:
+  PDU_ASSOCIATION_REQUEST = "01"
+  PDU_ASSOCIATION_ACCEPT = "02"
+  PDU_ASSOCIATION_REJECT = "03"
+  PDU_DATA = "04"
+  PDU_RELEASE_REQUEST = "05"
+  PDU_RELEASE_RESPONSE = "06"
+  PDU_ABORT = "07"
+
+  # Network communication item types:
+  ITEM_APPLICATION_CONTEXT = "10"
+  ITEM_PRESENTATION_CONTEXT_REQUEST = "20"
+  ITEM_PRESENTATION_CONTEXT_RESPONSE = "21"
+  ITEM_ABSTRACT_SYNTAX = "30"
+  ITEM_TRANSFER_SYNTAX = "40"
+  ITEM_USER_INFORMATION = "50"
+  ITEM_MAX_LENGTH = "51"
+  ITEM_IMPLEMENTATION_UID = "52"
+  ITEM_MAX_OPERATIONS_INVOKED = "53"
+  ITEM_ROLE_NEGOTIATION = "54"
+  ITEM_IMPLEMENTATION_VERSION = "55"
+
+  # Varaibles used to determine endianness.
+  x = 0xdeadbeef
+  endian_type = {
+    Array(x).pack("V*") => false, # Little
+    Array(x).pack("N*") => true   # Big
+  }
+  # System (CPU) Endianness.
+  CPU_ENDIAN = endian_type[Array(x).pack("L*")]
+
+  # Transfer Syntaxes (taken from the DICOM Specification PS 3.5, Chapter 10).
+
+  # General
+  TXS_IMPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN            = '1.2.840.10008.1.2'      # also defined as IMPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN, default transfer syntax
+  TXS_EXPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN            = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.1'    # also defined as EXPLICIT_LITTLE_ENDIAN
+  TXS_EXPLICIT_BIG_ENDIAN               = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.2'    # also defined as EXPLICIT_BIG_ENDIAN
+
+  # TRANSFER SYNTAXES FOR ENCAPSULATION OF ENCODED PIXEL DATA
+  TXS_JPEG_BASELINE                     = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.50'
+  TXS_JPEG_EXTENDED                     = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.51'
+  TXS_JPEG_LOSSLESS_NH                  = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.57' # NH: non-hirarchical
+  TXS_JPEG_LOSSLESS_NH_FOP              = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.70' # NH: non-hirarchical, FOP: first-order prediction
+
+  TXS_JPEG_LS_LOSSLESS                  = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.80'
+  TXS_JPEG_LS_NEAR_LOSSLESS             = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.81'
+
+  TXS_JPEG_2000_PART1_LOSSLESS          = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.90'
+  TXS_JPEG_2000_PART1_LOSSLESS_OR_LOSSY = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.91'
+  TXS_JPEG_2000_PART2_LOSSLESS          = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.92'
+  TXS_JPEG_2000_PART2_LOSSLESS_OR_LOSSY = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.93'
+
+  TXS_MPEG2_MP_ML                       = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.100'
+  TXS_MPEG2_MP_HL                       = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.101'
+
+  TXS_DEFLATED_LITTLE_ENDIAN            = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.1.99'  # ZIP Compression
+
+  TXS_JPIP                              = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.94'
+  TXS_JPIP_DEFLATE                      = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.4.95'
+
+  TXS_RLE                               = '1.2.840.10008.1.2.5'
+
+
+  # Photometric Interpretations
+  # Taken from DICOM Specification PS 3.3 C.7.6.3.1.2 Photometric Interpretation
+
+  PI_MONOCHROME1     = 'MONOCHROME1'
+  PI_MONOCHROME2     = 'MONOCHROME2'
+  PI_PALETTE_COLOR   = 'PALETTE COLOR'
+  PI_RGB             = 'RGB'
+  PI_YBR_FULL        = 'YBR_FULL'
+  PI_YBR_FULL_422    = 'YBR_FULL_422 '
+  PI_YBR_PARTIAL_422 = 'YBR_PARTIAL_422'
+  PI_YBR_PARTIAL_420 = 'YBR_PARTIAL_420'
+  PI_YBR_ICT         = 'YBR_ICT'
+  PI_YBR_RCT         = 'YBR_RCT'
+
+  # Retired Photometric Interpretations, are those needed to be supported?
+  PI_HSV             = 'HSV'
+  PI_ARGB            = 'ARGB'
+  PI_CMYK            = 'CMYK'
+
+  # The relationship between DICOM Character Set and Encoding name.
+  ENCODING_NAME = {
+    'ISO_IR 100' => 'ISO-8859-1',
+    'ISO_IR 101' => 'ISO-8859-2',
+    'ISO_IR 109' => 'ISO-8859-3',
+    'ISO_IR 110' => 'ISO-8859-4',
+    'ISO_IR 144' => 'ISO-8859-5',
+    'ISO_IR 127' => 'ISO-8859-6',
+    'ISO_IR 126' => 'ISO-8859-7',
+    'ISO_IR 138' => 'ISO-8859-8',
+    'ISO_IR 148' => 'ISO-8859-9',
+    'ISO_IR 13'  => 'JIS_X0201',
+    'ISO_IR 166' => 'ISO-8859-11',
+    'GB18030'    => 'GB18030',
+    'ISO_IR 192' => 'UTF-8'
+  }
+  ENCODING_NAME.default = 'ASCII-8BIT'
+
+  # The type conversion (method) used for the various value representations.
+  VALUE_CONVERSION = {
+    'BY' => :to_i,
+    'US' => :to_i,
+    'SS' => :to_i,
+    'UL' => :to_i,
+    'SL' => :to_i,
+    'OB' => :to_i,
+    'OW' => :to_i,
+    'OF' => :to_f,
+    'FL' => :to_f,
+    'FD' => :to_f,
+    'AT' => :to_s,
+    'AE' => :to_s,
+    'AS' => :to_s,
+    'CS' => :to_s,
+    'DA' => :to_s,
+    'DS' => :to_s,
+    'DT' => :to_s,
+    'IS' => :to_s,
+    'LO' => :to_s,
+    'LT' => :to_s,
+    'PN' => :to_s,
+    'SH' => :to_s,
+    'ST' => :to_s,
+    'TM' => :to_s,
+    'UI' => :to_s,
+    'UT' => :to_s
+  }
+  VALUE_CONVERSION.default = :to_s
+
+end
+