Shortcode

The [dicom_viewer] shortcode is an alternative to the Gutenberg block for embedding DICOM viewers. It’s useful if you’re using the classic editor or writing custom templates.

Basic Usage

The simplest way to add a viewer is to provide a file ID from your media library:

[dicom_viewer id="123"]

Replace 123 with your file’s WordPress attachment ID (find this in Media > Library).

Or provide a direct file URL:

[dicom_viewer url="https://example.com/path/to/file.dcm"]

Using the Classic Editor

If you’re using the classic editor instead of Gutenberg, the DICOM Viewer adds a toolbar button. Click the DICOM Viewer icon in the editor toolbar to insert the shortcode with a file selector dialog.

Shortcode Attributes

All attributes are optional except one of id or url. Full details are in the Shortcode Reference.

Common attributes:

[dicom_viewer
  id="123"
  height="600px"
  series_display="auto"
  show_info="false"
  layout="auto"
  anon_level="standard"
]

Setting Viewport Defaults

You can pre-set the viewer’s starting zoom and position:

[dicom_viewer
  id="123"
  default_zoom="2.0"
  default_series="1"
  default_slide="15"
]

For multi-series with grid layout, you can set per-pane values:

[dicom_viewer
  id="123"
  layout="grid"
  default_slides="0,5,10"
  default_zooms="1.5,1.5,1.5"
]

Next Steps

See Shortcode Reference for the complete list of attributes with descriptions and examples.

Shortcode Reference

This page lists all options you can use in the [dicom_viewer] shortcode to customize how the viewer displays.

Choosing Your File

You must provide either a file ID from your media library OR a direct URL:

Attribute	Type	Default	Description
`id`	integer	`0`	WordPress media library attachment ID
`url`	string	`""`	Direct URL to a `.dcm` or `.zip` file

Note: Use id when the file is in your WordPress media library (preferred). Use url for files hosted externally.

Sizing

Option	Values	What it does
`height`	e.g., `480px`, `600px`, `70vh`	How tall the viewer should be
`width`	e.g., `100%`, `800px`	How wide the viewer should be

Buttons & Controls

Option	Values	What it does
`show_download`	`true` or `false`	Show/hide the download button
`show_info`	`true` or `false`	Show/hide the info button (displays image metadata)

Multiple Series

Option	Values	What it does
`series_display`	`auto`, `pills`, `dropdown`, `none`	How to show series selector buttons
`layout`	`auto`, `single`, `grid`	Single image or side-by-side grid
`grid_cols`	`1`, `2`, `3`, `4`	How many columns in grid view
`ref_lines`	`true`, `false`	Show/hide reference lines connecting panes

Hiding Sensitive Information

Option	Values	What it does
`anon_level`	`off`, `basic`, `standard`, `strict`	Hide patient info in the metadata display

off = show all information
basic = hide patient name and ID
standard = hide patient info + hospital details
strict = hide almost everything except the image

Pre-set Zoom (Advanced)

If you want the viewer to open at a specific zoom level, you can set:

Option	What it does
`default_zoom`	Starting zoom level (1.0 = normal, 2.0 = 2x zoom, 0.5 = zoomed out)

Example:

[dicom_viewer id="42" default_zoom="1.5"]

For grid layout with multiple panes, you can set different zoom for each pane:

[dicom_viewer
  id="42"
  layout="grid"
  default_panes="3"
  default_slides="0,5,10"
  default_zooms="1.5,1.5,2.0"
]

Using Global Settings

If you don’t specify an option in the shortcode, it uses the default from DICOM Viewer.

For example, if your global default height is 480px, you don’t need to add height="480px" to every shortcode.

True/False Values

For options that take true or false, you can write:

true, 1, or yes for on
false, 0, or no for off

Example: show_info="true" or show_download="1"

Common Examples

Just show the image:

[dicom_viewer id="123"]

Make it taller:

[dicom_viewer id="123" height="800px"]

Hide patient info:

[dicom_viewer id="123" anon_level="strict"]

Show multiple images side-by-side:

[dicom_viewer id="123" layout="grid" grid_cols="2"]

Start zoomed in:

[dicom_viewer id="123" default_zoom="2.0"]

Don’t allow downloads:

[dicom_viewer id="123" show_download="false"]

Next Steps

See Block Settings for equivalent Gutenberg block attributes.