Connect an MCP client

The MCP adapter exposes the same resolver layer as the CLI through 19 dicom_-prefixed tools. It is intended for coding agents and other local MCP clients that need cited, edition-aware DICOM facts.

Prerequisites

Install the optional MCP dependency.
Build or select a local SQLite knowledge base.
Know the concrete edition associated with that database.
Use an MCP client that can launch a local stdio server.

Install from a source checkout:

uv sync --extra mcp

A full development environment installed with --all-extras already includes MCP support.

Test the server command

Against the synthetic fixture:

uv run dicom-kb mcp serve \
  --edition 2026b \
  --db /tmp/dicom-kb-fixture.sqlite

Against a database in the default cache:

EDITION=2025e  # Replace with your concrete edition.
uv run dicom-kb mcp serve \
  --edition "$EDITION"

The process waits for MCP messages on standard input and writes protocol output on standard output. It is normally launched by the client rather than kept in an interactive terminal.

Configure the client

MCP client configuration formats differ, but provide the equivalent of these launch values:

Field	Value
Server name	`dicom-standard-kb`
Command from a source checkout	`uv`
Arguments	`run`, `dicom-kb`, `mcp`, `serve`, `--edition`, the concrete edition
Working directory	the `dicom-standard-kb` source checkout
Optional arguments	`--db /absolute/path/to/database.sqlite` or `--cache-dir /absolute/path/to/cache`

When using a standalone uv-tool installation, configure dicom-kb as the executable and omit uv run.

Use absolute paths in client configuration. The server resolves a missing --db to:

<cache-dir>/db/<edition>.sqlite

Confirm tool discovery

The client should discover 19 tools. Representative names include:

dicom_lookup_data_element
dicom_lookup_uid
dicom_lookup_iod
dicom_list_modules_for_iod
dicom_resolve_attribute_context
dicom_lookup_transfer_syntax
dicom_lookup_dicomweb_transaction
dicom_lookup_sr_template
dicom_search_standard_text

See MCP tools for the complete list and exact arguments.

The reviewed adapter registers tools only. It does not expose MCP resources or prompts.

Route questions to the narrowest tool

Use structured tools before prose search:

Question	Preferred tool
“What is the VR and VM of Modality?”	`dicom_lookup_data_element`
“Which modules are used by CT Image?”	`dicom_list_modules_for_iod`
“What type is Modality in this IOD?”	`dicom_resolve_attribute_context`
“How is this transfer syntax encoded?”	`dicom_lookup_transfer_syntax`
“What route defines RetrieveStudy?”	`dicom_lookup_dicomweb_transaction`
“What rows are in TID 1500?”	`dicom_lookup_sr_template`
“Where does the standard discuss this prose rule?”	`dicom_search_standard_text`, then `dicom_retrieve_standard_text`

When a structured tool returns candidates, warnings, or not_found, preserve that result. Use cited text as a bounded fallback rather than asking the model to invent a normative fact.

Preserve the response envelope

Do not reduce tool output to result alone. Pass the following into downstream reasoning:

edition
status
result
refs
warnings
classification
parse_confidence
trace

A safe synthesis prompt should instruct the model to distinguish parsed facts, retrieved explanation, ambiguity, and unsupported claims.

Runtime and safety behavior

The server fixes one edition and database at startup.
Each tool call opens the SQLite database in read-only mode.
Tools do not fetch artifacts, build databases, or mutate local content.
An unknown tool name is rejected.
Startup fails early when the configured database does not exist.
The MCP transport is stdio; no network listener is started.

Troubleshooting

Missing optional dependency

Resynchronize with:

uv sync --extra mcp

Database does not exist

Build the fixture or an official-edition database, then verify the edition, cache, and explicit --db path.

Client starts the wrong environment

Set the source checkout as the working directory or use the absolute path to a standalone dicom-kb executable.

Tool output is being flattened

Adjust the agent harness so it retains references, classification, confidence, warnings, and trace metadata. See Response evidence and confidence.