Editable Database Query Fields?

    Hi


    I have just installed conquest to hopefully replace the wonderful KPACS I have been using for the last couple of years.


    I use my DICOM store to keep all the images that are generated whilst doing medical physics QA of diagnostic radiology scanners of various types.


    My question is whether it is possible for the database tables to be configured for more/different tags than the usual patient centric ones.


    For example, I would like to be able to query the database conquest creates for CT images from June 2007 from scanner x where the kV was 120 and the slice thickness 2.5 mm.


    I wouldn't need to be able to do the query from Conquest - I am planning on using some other software to query the database before performing automated QA on the data. However, I would want conquest to act as the DICOM store and create the tables in the database in the first place.


    Is there any chance? Or is this something that is deeply hard-coded into the system?


    Many thanks for what seems to be an excellent system so far!


    Ed McDonagh

    Hi,


    You can edit dicom.sql as you like it to add more fields. You should look at the dicom standard to know in which table they go, but I expect most of your required fields would go into the IMAGE table. In any case leave the first and last field in the first and last place, and just add things to not break existing functionality. After editing dicom.sql the database MUST be regenerated.


    Marcel

    Thanks Marcel - that is excellent news.


    Glad to see the forum has been resurrected as well!


    I have had a quick try with adding a kVp field, and it works fine.


    I have one question though - in the dicom.sql file, it specifies the format as

    Code
    #	{ Group, Element, Column Name, Column Length, SQL-Type, DICOM-Type }


    However, it seems most of the SQL-Types are set to SQL_C_CHAR (except the date fields), and most of the DICOM-Types are set to DT_STR or DT_UINT.


    I would have expected a few more types to be used for the SQL, and for the DICOM-Types to correspond to the Value Representations in the DICOM Dictionary (3.6). Are the types simplified for a reason? Do I need to worry about them?


    Thanks once again for your help. Conquest looks like it is going to be very useful.


    Ed

    Hi


    It is best to store data as SQL_C_CHAR. I believe other options (apart from date) are poorly tested and may not work at all. The server will convert DICOM ints etc to strings and vice versa.


    Marcel

    Hi!
    Following the instructions in these posts I succeeded in adding new tags in the database but as I send new images I can't see the value of those tags until I regenerate the database. Do I have to regenerate the database every time I receive an image?
    thank you
    Lisa

    Hi,


    that is strange. After you edit the database definition, a regen is definitively required as well as a server restart. But newly sent images should definitively update all database fields, also the new ones. Actually, this is through the same code as a regen.


    Marcel

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