# Error message: Could not load as Scalar Volume

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/error-message-could-not-load-as-scalar-volume/7577>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** dicom\
**Created:** [July 14, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/error-message-could-not-load-as-scalar-volume/7577 "2019-07-14T21:23:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![J\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@J\_C](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/J_C)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/error-message-could-not-load-as-scalar-volume/7577/1 "2019-07-14T21:23:18Z")

</div>

Hi,  
Recently I started using Slicer (4.10.2) to extract some radiomics features from MRI images using the radiomics module, but every time I try to import some DICOMs through the DICOM manager, I get a lot of warnings; then if I load the exam, a list of “could not load as scalar volume” comes out. I already tried DICOM patcher and nothing changed. I tried GDCM, DCMTK and Archetype. Files aren’t anonymized, since I read it was another possible issue. I know that another things is that they could be corrupted, but if that’s the case, that would mean that every exported exam is the same.

Am I getting something wrong?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lassoan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/lassoan/32/13_2.png) [@lassoan](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/lassoan)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2019, 9:59pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/error-message-could-not-load-as-scalar-volume/7577/2 "2019-07-14T21:59:29Z")

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Could you copy-paste here your application log (menu: Help / Report a bug) and/or share an anonymized series?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![J\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@J\_C](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/J_C)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 11:11am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/error-message-could-not-load-as-scalar-volume/7577/3 "2019-07-21T11:11:23Z")

</div>

Hi, since I’m actually travelling back and forth for my work, I cannot always access to all my data, that’s the reason I was this late in answering.  
The error data log is the following, and it seems it repeats a lot, this is only part of it since the whole thing is exceeding the word limit of the post.

[ERROR][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:309) - Could not read scalar volume using DCMTK approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:38 [] (unknown:0) - Loading with imageIOName: GDCM  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader (0000000010174DC0)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102\Libs\vtkITK\vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader.cxx:408) - vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader::ExecuteInformation: Cannot open G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/00000406. ITK exception info: error in unknown: Could not create IO object for reading file G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/00000406  
Tried to create one of the following:  
BMPImageIO  
BioRadImageIO  
DCMTKImageIO  
GDCMImageIO  
GiplImageIO  
JPEGImageIO  
LSMImageIO  
MGHImageIO  
MINCImageIO  
MRCImageIO  
MetaImageIO  
NiftiImageIO  
NrrdImageIO  
PNGImageIO  
StimulateImageIO  
TIFFImageIO  
VTKImageIO  
MRMLIDImageIO  
You probably failed to set a file suffix, or  
set the suffix to an unsupported type.  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [vtkCompositeDataPipeline (000000001674DF90)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102-build\VTK\Common\ExecutionModel\vtkExecutive.cxx:782) - Algorithm vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader(0000000010174DC0) returned failure for request: vtkInformation (0000000015D7A750)  
Debug: Off  
Modified Time: 338830  
Reference Count: 1  
Registered Events: (none)  
Request: REQUEST\_INFORMATION  
FORWARD\_DIRECTION: 0  
ALGORITHM\_AFTER\_FORWARD: 1  
[CRITICAL][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [] (unknown:0) - Could not read scalar volume using GDCM approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [] (unknown:0) - Loading with imageIOName: DCMTK  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader (0000000010175170)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102\Libs\vtkITK\vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader.cxx:408) - vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader::ExecuteInformation: Cannot open G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/00000406. ITK exception info: error in unknown: Could not create IO object for reading file G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/00000406  
Tried to create one of the following:  
BMPImageIO  
BioRadImageIO  
DCMTKImageIO  
GDCMImageIO  
GiplImageIO  
JPEGImageIO  
LSMImageIO  
MGHImageIO  
MINCImageIO  
MRCImageIO  
MetaImageIO  
NiftiImageIO  
NrrdImageIO  
PNGImageIO  
StimulateImageIO  
TIFFImageIO  
VTKImageIO  
MRMLIDImageIO  
You probably failed to set a file suffix, or  
set the suffix to an unsupported type.  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [vtkCompositeDataPipeline (0000000016749DF0)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102-build\VTK\Common\ExecutionModel\vtkExecutive.cxx:782) - Algorithm vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader(0000000010175170) returned failure for request: vtkInformation (0000000015D7DD60)  
Debug: Off  
Modified Time: 338913  
Reference Count: 1  
Registered Events: (none)  
Request: REQUEST\_INFORMATION  
FORWARD\_DIRECTION: 0  
ALGORITHM\_AFTER\_FORWARD: 1  
[CRITICAL][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [] (unknown:0) - Could not read scalar volume using DCMTK approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:303) - Loading with imageIOName: GDCM  
[ERROR][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:309) - Could not read scalar volume using GDCM approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:303) - Loading with imageIOName: DCMTK  
[ERROR][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:309) - Could not read scalar volume using DCMTK approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [] (unknown:0) - Loading with imageIOName: GDCM  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader (0000000010174DC0): vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader::ExecuteInformation: Cannot open G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/000000D7. ITK exception info: error in unknown: itk::ERROR: GDCMImageIO(00000000107B4A60)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102\Libs\vtkITK\vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader.cxx:408) - Cannot read requested file  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [vtkCompositeDataPipeline (0000000016750510)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102-build\VTK\Common\ExecutionModel\vtkExecutive.cxx:782) - Algorithm vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader(0000000010174DC0) returned failure for request: vtkInformation (0000000015D7E850)  
Debug: Off  
Modified Time: 340155  
Reference Count: 1  
Registered Events: (none)  
Request: REQUEST\_INFORMATION  
FORWARD\_DIRECTION: 0  
ALGORITHM\_AFTER\_FORWARD: 1  
[CRITICAL][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [] (unknown:0) - Could not read scalar volume using GDCM approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:39 [] (unknown:0) - Loading with imageIOName: DCMTK  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader (0000000010175170): vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader::ExecuteInformation: Cannot open G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/000000D7. ITK exception info: error in unknown: itk::ERROR: GDCMImageIO(00000000107B4610)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102\Libs\vtkITK\vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader.cxx:408) - Cannot read requested file  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [vtkCompositeDataPipeline (00000000167536C0)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102-build\VTK\Common\ExecutionModel\vtkExecutive.cxx:782) - Algorithm vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader(0000000010175170) returned failure for request: vtkInformation (0000000015D7D720)  
Debug: Off  
Modified Time: 340249  
Reference Count: 1  
Registered Events: (none)  
Request: REQUEST\_INFORMATION  
FORWARD\_DIRECTION: 0  
ALGORITHM\_AFTER\_FORWARD: 1  
[CRITICAL][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [] (unknown:0) - Could not read scalar volume using DCMTK approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:303) - Loading with imageIOName: GDCM  
[ERROR][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:309) - Could not read scalar volume using GDCM approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:303) - Loading with imageIOName: DCMTK  
[ERROR][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:309) - Could not read scalar volume using DCMTK approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [] (unknown:0) - Loading with imageIOName: GDCM  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader (0000000010174DC0): vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader::ExecuteInformation: Cannot open G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/00000282. ITK exception info: error in unknown: itk::ERROR: GDCMImageIO(00000000107B4A60)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102\Libs\vtkITK\vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader.cxx:408) - Cannot read requested file  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [vtkCompositeDataPipeline (00000000167538A0)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102-build\VTK\Common\ExecutionModel\vtkExecutive.cxx:782) - Algorithm vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader(0000000010174DC0) returned failure for request: vtkInformation (0000000015D7F020)  
Debug: Off  
Modified Time: 340342  
Reference Count: 1  
Registered Events: (none)  
Request: REQUEST\_INFORMATION  
FORWARD\_DIRECTION: 0  
ALGORITHM\_AFTER\_FORWARD: 1  
[CRITICAL][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [] (unknown:0) - Could not read scalar volume using GDCM approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [] (unknown:0) - Loading with imageIOName: DCMTK  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader (0000000010175170): vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader::ExecuteInformation: Cannot open G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/00000282. ITK exception info: error in unknown: itk::ERROR: GDCMImageIO(00000000107B4610)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102\Libs\vtkITK\vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader.cxx:408) - Cannot read requested file  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [vtkCompositeDataPipeline (0000000016753A80)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102-build\VTK\Common\ExecutionModel\vtkExecutive.cxx:782) - Algorithm vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader(0000000010175170) returned failure for request: vtkInformation (0000000015D7D6D0)  
Debug: Off  
Modified Time: 340436  
Reference Count: 1  
Registered Events: (none)  
Request: REQUEST\_INFORMATION  
FORWARD\_DIRECTION: 0  
ALGORITHM\_AFTER\_FORWARD: 1  
[CRITICAL][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [] (unknown:0) - Could not read scalar volume using DCMTK approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:303) - Loading with imageIOName: GDCM  
[ERROR][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:41 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:309) - Could not read scalar volume using GDCM approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:41 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:303) - Loading with imageIOName: DCMTK  
[ERROR][Python] 21.07.2019 12:52:41 [Python] (G:/3d Slicer/Slicer 4.10.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-4.10/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:309) - Could not read scalar volume using DCMTK approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Stream] 21.07.2019 12:52:40 [] (unknown:0) - Loading with imageIOName: GDCM  
[ERROR][VTK] 21.07.2019 12:52:41 [vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader (0000000010174DC0)] (D:\D\S\Slicer-4102\Libs\vtkITK\vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader.cxx:408) - vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader::ExecuteInformation: Cannot open G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/00000408. ITK exception info: error in unknown: Could not create IO object for reading file G:/1 Pre-PT/Avila 29-10-2018/DICOMOBJ/00000408

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cpinter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/cpinter/32/7995_2.png) [@cpinter](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/cpinter)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/error-message-could-not-load-as-scalar-volume/7577/4 "2019-07-21T19:34:12Z")

</div>

This may be very trivial but could you try using a directory that does not have a space in the path? I see that there are a few like “1 Pre-PT” and “Avila 29-10-2018”, and space may be a problem, similarly to how special characters are a problem.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![J\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@J\_C](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/J_C)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2019, 9:58pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/error-message-could-not-load-as-scalar-volume/7577/5 "2019-07-22T21:58:06Z")

</div>

Thank you for the suggestion, but it doesn’t seems to work. I noticed (opening up the DICOMs in another reader) that some mri sequences folders (for example T2) are empty, but there other folders named differently which contains the data. If I look at advanced settings in Dicom importer in slicer, I can select these series (that are unselected by default) and this seems to solve the problem in some cases.