Connect an MCP client

dicom-kb mcp serve runs an MCP server over stdio with seven tools. It reads the local database only: it never fetches or builds anything, and opens no network port.

Before you begin

Install with the [mcp] extra; see Install.
Fetch and build a knowledge base; see Getting started.

Add the server to a client

The server is one command. In clients that take a JSON configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dicom-standard-kb": {
      "command": "dicom-kb",
      "args": ["mcp", "serve"]
    }
  }
}

With Claude Code:

claude mcp add dicom-standard-kb -- dicom-kb mcp serve

If the client cannot find dicom-kb on its PATH, give the absolute path (which dicom-kb prints it). From a source checkout, use uv as the command with ["run", "--directory", "/path/to/dicom-standard-kb", "dicom-kb", "mcp", "serve"] as its arguments.

The server uses the newest built edition. Add --edition 2026d, --db PATH or --cache-dir PATH to the arguments to choose another one; the configuration environment variables work too. The edition is fixed for the life of the server process.

Check that it starts

dicom-kb mcp serve

The process waits for MCP messages on standard input; stop it with Ctrl+C. If the database is missing or was built by an older version, it exits at once with a message saying how to fix it.

The tools

Tool	Use it for
`dicom_iod`	An IOD’s modules, or its attribute checklist filtered by Type
`dicom_module`	A module’s outline, or its attributes in full
`dicom_element`	A data element, where it is used, and its Type in one IOD
`dicom_values`	Enumerated Values, Defined Terms and context groups of an attribute
`dicom_code`	Context groups, templates and codes from PS3.16
`dicom_search`	Finding where the standard discusses something
`dicom_read`	Reading a section or table, a UID, a transfer syntax or a VR

Every answer is plain markdown text ending with a Source: line. Long answers are paged and end with the call that fetches the next page. Unknown names return the closest matches. MCP tools documents each argument, and Answer DICOM questions shows real answers.