fnndsc/pl-pacsquery repository overview

    pacsquery.py

    pacsquery.py    --pfdcm <PACserviceIP:port>             \\
                    [--msg <jsonMsgString>]                 \\
                    [--patientID <patientID>]               \\
                    [--PACSservice <PACSservice>]           \\
                    [--summaryKeys <keylist>]               \\
                    [--summaryFile <summaryFile>]           \\
                    [--resultFile <resultFile>]             \\
                    [--numberOfHitsFile <numberOfHitsFile>] \\
                    <outputdir>

'pacsquery.py' is a "FeedStarter" (FS) ChrisApp plugin that is used
to query a PACS and start a new Feed.

Importantly, this app does *not* actually talk to a PACS directly;
instead it interacts with an intermediary service, typically 'pfdcm'.
This intermediary service actually connects to a PACS and performs
queries, which it returns to this app.

Thus, it is important to understand that this app does not need 
specific details on the PACS IP, port, AETITLE, etc. All of this
information is managed by 'pfdcm'. This does mean of course, that
'pfdcm' needs to be intantiated correctly. Please see the 'pfdcm'
github wiki for specific instructions. 

Note though that it is possible to pass to this app a 'pfdcm' 
compliant message string using the [--msg <jsonMsgString>]. This
<jsonMsgString> can be used to set 'pfdcm' internal lookup and 
add new PACS entries. This <jsonMsgString> can also be used to 
perform a query.

However, most often, the simplest mechanism of query will be through
the '--patientID' and 'PACSservice' flags.

Finally, the <outputdir> positional argument is MANDATORY and defines
the output directory (or relative dir when called through the
CHRIS API) for result tables/files.

Results from this app are typically three files in the <outputdir>.
These are:

    o summary file of the hits, using <keyList>, <summaryFile>
    o JSON formatted results from 'pfdcm', <resultFile>
    o hit file containing number of hits, <numberOfHitsFile>

--pfdcm <PACserviceIP:port> 

    The IP and port specifier of the 'pfdcm' service. 

--msg <jsonMsgString>]    

    A 'pfdcm' conforming message string. If sent to this app,
    the message string is passed through unaltered to 'pfdcm'.
    This allows for setting up internals of 'pfdcm' and/or
    doing queries and interactions directly. 

    USE WITH CARE.

--patientID <patientID>] 

    The <patientID> string to query.

--PACSservice <PACSservice>] 

    The "name" of the PACS to query within 'pfdcm'. This is 
    used to look up the PACS IP, port, AETitle, etc.

--summaryKeys <keylist>]

    A comma separated list of 'keys' to include in the 
    summary report. Typically:

    PatientID,PatientAge,StudyDescription,StudyInstanceUID,SeriesDescription,SeriesInstanceUID,NumberOfSeriesRelatedInstances

--summaryFile <summaryFile>] 

    The name of the file in the <outputdir> to contain the summary report.

--resultFile <resultFile>]

    The name of the file in the <outputdir> to contain the results.

--numberOfHitsFile <numberOfHitsFile>]

    The name of the file in the <outputdir> to contain the number of hits.

<outputdir>

    The output directory.