6.2.3 DICOM Data Format Layer
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### 6.2.3 DICOM Data Format Layer

The DICOM Data Format Layer includes four elements of specification:

1. DICOM Media Storage SOP Classes and associated Information Object Definitions;

2. The DICOM File Format;

3. The Secure DICOM File Format;

4. The DICOM Media Storage Directory SOP Class;

5. DICOM Media Storage Application Profiles;

6. DICOM Security Profiles for Media Storage.

#### 6.2.3.1 DICOM SOP Classes

DICOM SOP Classes and associated Information Object Definitions (IODs) are used to convey specific medical imaging information at the Data Format Layer. SOP Classes and IODs used for Media Storage shall follow the framework established in PS3.3 and PS3.4. Examples of such IODs are modality images, patient information, results, etc.

The use of DICOM IODs in conjunction with Media Storage Services forms a number of Media Storage Service Object Pair Classes or SOP Classes. Media Storage Services (e.g., read, write, delete, etc.) shall be performed through the DICOM File Service. The content of the resulting DICOM Files shall be formatted according to the DICOM File Format as specified below.

### Note

1. The concept of a SOP Class in the Media Storage context is equivalent to the concept of SOP Class introduced in PS3.3 and PS3.4 for network related operations (DIMSE Operations).

2. Both Composite and Normalized IODs and SOP Classes may be used in the Media Storage context.

PS3.4 defines a number of SOP Classes that may be used for Media Storage. These SOP Classes are based on DICOM Standard IODs that may be found in PS3.3.

The structure and encoding of a Data Set representing the data associated with a SOP Class shall follow PS3.5. The specification of Transfer Syntaxes that may be used to encode such a Data Set, is also defined in PS3.5.

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