findscu(1)                        OFFIS DCMTK                       findscu(1)

NAME
       findscu - DICOM query (C-FIND) SCU


SYNOPSIS
       findscu [options] peer port [dcmfile-in...]

DESCRIPTION
       The  findscu  application  implements  an  SCU  for  the Query/Retrieve
       Service Class and the Basic Worklist Management Service Class.  findscu
       only  supports  query  functionality using the C-FIND message. It sends
       query keys to an SCP and awaits responses. The application can be  used
       to  test  SCPs  of  the  Query/Retrieve  and  Basic Worklist Management
       Service Classes.

PARAMETERS
       peer        hostname of DICOM peer

       port        tcp/ip port number of peer

       dcmfile-in  DICOM query file(s)

OPTIONS
   general options
         -h    --help
                 print this help text and exit

               --version
                 print version information and exit

               --arguments
                 print expanded command line arguments

         -q    --quiet
                 quiet mode, print no warnings and errors

         -v    --verbose
                 verbose mode, print processing details

         -d    --debug
                 debug mode, print debug information

         -ll   --log-level  [l]evel: string constant
                 (fatal, error, warn, info, debug, trace)
                 use level l for the logger

         -lc   --log-config  [f]ilename: string
                 use config file f for the logger

   network options
       override matching keys:

         -k    --key  [k]ey: gggg,eeee="str", path or dictionary name="str"
                 override matching key

       query information model:

         -W    --worklist
                 use modality worklist information model (default)

         -P    --patient
                 use patient root information model

         -S    --study
                 use study root information model

         -O    --psonly
                 use patient/study only information model

       IP protocol version:

         -i4   --ipv4
                 use IPv4 only (default)

         -i6   --ipv6
                 use IPv6 only

         -i0   --ip-auto
                 use DNS lookup to determine IP protocol

       application entity titles:

         -aet  --aetitle  [a]etitle: string
                 set my calling AE title (default: FINDSCU)

         -aec  --call  [a]etitle: string
                 set called AE title of peer (default: ANY-SCP)

       post-1993 value representations:

         +u    --enable-new-vr
                 enable support for new VRs (UN/UT) (default)

         -u    --disable-new-vr
                 disable support for new VRs, convert to OB

       proposed transmission transfer syntaxes:

         -x=   --propose-uncompr
                 propose all uncompressed TS, explicit VR
                 with local byte ordering first (default)

         -xe   --propose-little
                 propose all uncompressed TS, explicit VR
                 little endian first

         -xb   --propose-big
                 propose all uncompressed TS, explicit VR
                 big endian first

         -xd   --propose-deflated
                 propose deflated explicit VR little endian TS
                 and all uncompressed transfer syntaxes

         -xi   --propose-implicit
                 propose implicit VR little endian TS only

       deflate compression level (only with --propose-deflated):

         +cl   --compression-level  [l]evel: integer (default: 6)
                 0=uncompressed, 1=fastest, 9=best compression

       other network options:

         -to   --timeout  [s]econds: integer (default: unlimited)
                 timeout for connection requests

         -ts   --socket-timeout  [s]econds: integer (default: 60)
                 timeout for network socket (0 for none)

         -ta   --acse-timeout  [s]econds: integer (default: 30)
                 timeout for ACSE messages

         -td   --dimse-timeout  [s]econds: integer (default: unlimited)
                 timeout for DIMSE messages

         -pdu  --max-pdu  [n]umber of bytes: integer (4096..131072)
                 set max receive pdu to n bytes (default: 16384)

               --repeat  [n]umber: integer
                 repeat n times

               --abort
                 abort association instead of releasing it

               --cancel  [n]umber: integer
                 cancel after n responses (default: never)

   transport layer security (TLS) options
       transport protocol stack:

         -tls  --disable-tls
                 use normal TCP/IP connection (default)

         +tls  --enable-tls  [p]rivate key file, [c]ertificate file: string
                 use authenticated secure TLS connection

         +tla  --anonymous-tls
                 use secure TLS connection without certificate

       private key password (only with --enable-tls):

         +ps   --std-passwd
                 prompt user to type password on stdin (default)

         +pw   --use-passwd  [p]assword: string
                 use specified password

         -pw   --null-passwd
                 use empty string as password

       key and certificate file format:

         -pem  --pem-keys
                 read keys and certificates as PEM file (default)

         -der  --der-keys
                 read keys and certificates as DER file

       certification authority:

         +cf   --add-cert-file  [f]ilename: string
                 add certificate file to list of certificates

         +cd   --add-cert-dir  [d]irectory: string
                 add certificates in d to list of certificates

         +crl  --add-crl-file  [f]ilename: string
                 add certificate revocation list file
                 (implies --enable-crl-vfy)

         +crv  --enable-crl-vfy
                 enable leaf CRL verification

         +cra  --enable-crl-all
                 enable full chain CRL verification

       security profile:

         +ph   --list-profiles
                 list supported TLS profiles and exit

         +pg   --profile-8996
                 BCP 195 RFC 8996 TLS Profile (default)

         +pm   --profile-8996-mod
                 Modified BCP 195 RFC 8996 TLS Profile

                 # only available if underlying TLS library supports
                 # all TLS features required for this profile

         +py   --profile-bcp195-nd
                 Non-downgrading BCP 195 TLS Profile (retired)

         +px   --profile-bcp195
                 BCP 195 TLS Profile (retired)

         +pz   --profile-bcp195-ex
                 Extended BCP 195 TLS Profile (retired)

         +pb   --profile-basic
                 Basic TLS Secure Transport Connection Profile (retired)

                 # only available if underlying TLS library supports 3DES

         +pa   --profile-aes
                 AES TLS Secure Transport Connection Profile (retired)

         +pn   --profile-null
                 Authenticated unencrypted communication
                 (retired, was used in IHE ATNA)

       ciphersuite:

         +cc   --list-ciphers
                 list supported TLS ciphersuites and exit

         +cs   --cipher  [c]iphersuite name: string
                 add ciphersuite to list of negotiated suites

       server name indication:

               --no-sni
                 do not use SNI (default)

               --request-sni  [s]erver name: string
                 request server name s

       pseudo random generator:

         +rs   --seed  [f]ilename: string
                 seed random generator with contents of f

         +ws   --write-seed
                 write back modified seed (only with --seed)

         +wf   --write-seed-file  [f]ilename: string (only with --seed)
                 write modified seed to file f

       peer authentication:

         -rc   --require-peer-cert
                 verify peer certificate, fail if absent (default)

         -ic   --ignore-peer-cert
                 don't verify peer certificate

   output options
       general:

         -od   --output-directory  [d]irectory: string (default: ".")
                 write output files to existing directory d

       automatic data correction:

         +dc   --enable-correction
                 enable automatic data correction

         -dc   --disable-correction
                 disable automatic data correction (default)

       C-FIND responses:

         +sr   --show-responses
                 always output responses to the logger

         -sr   --hide-responses
                 do not output responses to the logger

         -X    --extract
                 extract responses to DICOM file (rsp0001.dcm...)

         -Xx   --extract-xml
                 extract responses to XML file (rsp0001.xml...)

         -Xs   --extract-xml-single  [f]ilename: string
                 extract all responses to given XML file f

         -Xlo  --limit-output  [n]umber: integer
                 limit number of responses extracted to file to n
                 (default: unlimited)

NOTES
       Each file supplied on the command line will be sent to the SCP as  part
       of  a  C-FIND  request.  The  query file must be a valid DICOM data set
       containing the dataset part of a  C-FIND-RQ  message.  The  query  file
       could, for instance, be created with the dump2dcm utility from a script
       like the following example:

       # query patient names and IDs
       (0008,0052) CS [PATIENT]     # QueryRetrieveLevel
       (0010,0010) PN []            # PatientName
       (0010,0020) LO []            # PatientID

       Individual attributes of each file sent can be modified or supplemented
       using the -k option. For example the command:

       findscu -P -k "(0010,0010)=HEWETT*" caesar 5678 patqry.dcm

       will,  when  sent  to  the  SCP  caesar  at TCP/IP port 5678, cause any
       PatientName attribute in patqry.dcm to have  the  value  'HEWETT*'.  If
       such  an attribute is present it will be replaced, if absent it will be
       inserted. The -k option can be present more than once. The  value  part
       (after  the  '=')  may  be absent causing the attribute to be sent with
       zero length.

       In earlier versions of findscu, the tag  keys  were  specified  without
       braces  around  group  and element number, e. g. '0010,0010' instead of
       '(0010,0010)'. It is recommended switching to the new syntax;  however,
       the old syntax is still working.

       Also -k accepts dictionary names instead of element tags for specifying
       DICOM  elements.  For  example,  the findscu call above then reads like
       this:

       findscu -P -k PatientName="HEWETT*" caesar 5678 patqry.dcm

       It is also possible to specify sequences, items and  nested  attributes
       using  the  -k option. In these cases, a special 'path' notation has to
       be used, e. g.

       findscu -W -k "(0040,0100)[0].Modality=CT" caesar 5678

       This call queries a worklist server at  host  caesar  for  any  planned
       procedures  for  CT modalities by specifying tag (0040,0100) 'Scheduled
       Procedure Step Sequence' and an attribute 'Modality' in the first  item
       of  this sequence with value 'CT'. Details on this path notation can be
       found in the documentation of dcmodify.

       If no file is  specified  on  the  command  line,  the  query  must  be
       specified  completely  with  one  or more -k options. If multiple query
       files are provided, findscu will send multiple C-FIND requests  to  the
       SCP.

       Each  set of response identifiers received will be output to the logger
       unless option --hide-responses, any of the  below  --extract  variants,
       --quiet  or an appropriate logger configuration is used. In such cases,
       the output to the logger can be enforced with option --show-responses.

       In addition, the response datasets can also be extracted as  individual
       DICOM  files  (using  option  --extract)  or  XML  files  (using option
       --extract-xml). The output format of the latter  is  described  by  the
       file  dcm2xml.dtd (starting with top-level element 'data-set'). For XML
       files, the  Specific  Character  Set  is  mapped  automatically  to  an
       appropriate  XML encoding. If this is not possible, e.g. in case of ISO
       2022 character sets, non-ASCII  characters  and  those  below  #32  are
       stored  as  '&#nnn;'  where 'nnn' refers to the numeric character code.
       Please note that this might lead to invalid character entity references
       (such as '&#27;' for ESC) and will cause most XML parsers to reject the
       document.

       Alternatively, all response datasets of an association can be extracted
       to a single XML file using option --extract-xml-single.  The  top-level
       element  of the XML document is 'responses' (with a 'type' attribute of
       'C-FIND'). The individual datasets are stored as  described  above.  If
       support  for  character  set  conversion  is enabled, UTF-8 encoding is
       used, i.e. all datasets are  converted  to  UTF-8  encoding  (which  is
       strongly recommended in order to avoid issues with non-ASCII characters
       when different character sets are used).

   DICOM Conformance
       The findscu application supports the following SOP Classes as an SCU:

       FINDPatientRootQueryRetrieveInformationModel       1.2.840.10008.5.1.4.1.2.1.1
       FINDStudyRootQueryRetrieveInformationModel         1.2.840.10008.5.1.4.1.2.2.1
       FINDPatientStudyOnlyQueryRetrieveInformationModel  1.2.840.10008.5.1.4.1.2.3.1
       FINDModalityWorklistInformationModel               1.2.840.10008.5.1.4.31

       The  findscu  application will propose presentation contexts for one of
       the abovementioned supported SOP  Classes  depending  on  command  line
       options  (-P, -S, -O or -W). Basically, the following transfer syntaxes
       are supported:

       LittleEndianImplicitTransferSyntax                 1.2.840.10008.1.2
       LittleEndianExplicitTransferSyntax                 1.2.840.10008.1.2.1
       DeflatedExplicitVRLittleEndianTransferSyntax       1.2.840.10008.1.2.1.99 (*)
       BigEndianExplicitTransferSyntax                    1.2.840.10008.1.2.2

       (*) if compiled with zlib support enabled (see --version output)

       Which transfer syntaxes are actually proposed in  what  order,  can  be
       specified with the --propose options.

       The findscu application does not support extended negotiation.

LOGGING
       The  level  of  logging  output  of  the various command line tools and
       underlying libraries can be specified by the  user.  By  default,  only
       errors  and  warnings  are  written to the standard error stream. Using
       option --verbose also informational messages  like  processing  details
       are  reported.  Option  --debug  can be used to get more details on the
       internal activity, e.g. for debugging purposes.  Other  logging  levels
       can  be  selected  using option --log-level. In --quiet mode only fatal
       errors are reported. In such very severe error events, the  application
       will  usually  terminate.  For  more  details  on the different logging
       levels, see documentation of module 'oflog'.

       In case the logging output should be written to file  (optionally  with
       logfile  rotation),  to syslog (Unix) or the event log (Windows) option
       --log-config can be used.  This  configuration  file  also  allows  for
       directing  only  certain messages to a particular output stream and for
       filtering certain messages based on the  module  or  application  where
       they  are  generated.  An  example  configuration  file  is provided in
       <etcdir>/logger.cfg.

COMMAND LINE
       All command line tools  use  the  following  notation  for  parameters:
       square  brackets  enclose  optional  values  (0-1), three trailing dots
       indicate that multiple values are allowed (1-n), a combination of  both
       means 0 to n values.

       Command line options are distinguished from parameters by a leading '+'
       or  '-' sign, respectively. Usually, order and position of command line
       options are arbitrary (i.e. they  can  appear  anywhere).  However,  if
       options  are  mutually exclusive the rightmost appearance is used. This
       behavior conforms to the  standard  evaluation  rules  of  common  Unix
       shells.

       In  addition,  one  or more command files can be specified using an '@'
       sign as a prefix to the filename (e.g. @command.txt).  Such  a  command
       argument  is  replaced  by  the  content of the corresponding text file
       (multiple whitespaces are treated as a  single  separator  unless  they
       appear  between  two  quotation marks) prior to any further evaluation.
       Please note that a command file cannot contain  another  command  file.
       This  simple  but  effective  approach  allows  one to summarize common
       combinations of options/parameters and  avoids  longish  and  confusing
       command lines (an example is provided in file <datadir>/dumppat.txt).

ENVIRONMENT
       The  findscu  utility  will  attempt  to  load  DICOM data dictionaries
       specified in the DCMDICTPATH environment variable. By default, i.e.  if
       the   DCMDICTPATH   environment   variable   is   not   set,  the  file
       <datadir>/dicom.dic will be loaded unless the dictionary is built  into
       the application (default for Windows).

       The   default   behavior   should  be  preferred  and  the  DCMDICTPATH
       environment variable only used when alternative data  dictionaries  are
       required.  The  DCMDICTPATH environment variable has the same format as
       the Unix shell PATH variable in that a colon (':')  separates  entries.
       On  Windows systems, a semicolon (';') is used as a separator. The data
       dictionary code will  attempt  to  load  each  file  specified  in  the
       DCMDICTPATH  environment variable. It is an error if no data dictionary
       can be loaded.

       Depending on the command line options specified,  the  findscu  utility
       will  attempt  to  load character set mapping tables. This happens when
       DCMTK was compiled with the oficonv library (which is the default)  and
       the  mapping  tables are not built into the library (default when DCMTK
       uses shared libraries).

       The  mapping  table  files  are  expected  in  DCMTK's  <datadir>.  The
       DCMICONVPATH  environment  variable  can be used to specify a different
       location. If a different location is specified,  those  mapping  tables
       also replace any built-in tables.

FILES
       <datadir>/dcm2xml.dtd - Document Type Definition (DTD) file

SEE ALSO
       movescu(1), dump2dcm(1), dcmodify(1)

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright  (C)  1994-2025  by OFFIS e.V., Escherweg 2, 26121 Oldenburg,
       Germany.

Version 3.7.0                   Mon Dec 15 2025                     findscu(1)
