Patient Orientation (0020,0020)

6.2.3.4. Patient Orientation (0020,0020)#

Patient direction of the rows and columns of the image. Required because:

  1. This IOD VL Photographic Image does not require Image Orientation (Patient) (0020,0037) or Image Position (Patient) (0020,0032)

  2. This IOD VL Photographic Image does not require Image Orientation (Slide) (0048,0102).

6.2.3.4.1. Allowed Values#

Meaning

DICOM Enumerated Value

SNOMED Code

Anterior

A

(255549009, SCT, “Anterior”)

Posterior

P

(255551008, SCT, “Posterior”)

Left

L

(7771000, SCT, “Left”)

Right

R

(24028007, SCT, “Right”)

6.2.3.4.2. Choosing the Correct Patient Orientation#

Patient Orientation (0020,0020) relative to the image plane shall be specified by two values that designate the anatomical direction of the positive row axis (left to right) and the positive column axis (top to bottom).

  • The first entry is the direction of the rows, given by the direction of the last pixel in the first row from the first pixel in that row.

  • The second entry is the direction of the columns, given by the direction of the last pixel in the first column from the first pixel in that column.

Since Anatomical Orientation Type (0010,2210) is absent (or has a value of BIPED), anatomical direction shall be designated by abbreviations using the capital letters:

A

anterior

P

posterior

R

right

L

left

H

head

F

foot

Example: a Right Profile photograph of the face, would have Patient Orientation set to [‘A’,’F’]

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