# I need help: Encountered "Could not load ... as a scalar volume" when loading MRI sequence

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/i-need-help-encountered-could-not-load-as-a-scalar-volume-when-loading-mri-sequence/32038>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** dicom\
**Created:** [October 4, 2023, 5:50pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/i-need-help-encountered-could-not-load-as-a-scalar-volume-when-loading-mri-sequence/32038 "2023-10-04T17:50:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![IrisFang](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/irisfang/32/67760_2.png) [@IrisFang](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/IrisFang)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 5:50pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/i-need-help-encountered-could-not-load-as-a-scalar-volume-when-loading-mri-sequence/32038/1 "2023-10-04T17:50:08Z")

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Dear developer,  
Hello~  
When I loaded the MRI image sequence today, the software kept reporting errors, “Could not load: 23: t1\_quick3d\_tra\_fs\_bh\_P\_MPRTRA as a Scalar Volume”, but there was no problem when loading CT images. The specific log is as follows. I have searched but failed to solve the problem, I hope you can get help, thank you!

[INFO][Python] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 [Python] (F:/3D SLICER/Slicer 5.0.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-5.0/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:391) - Loading with imageIOName: GDCM  
[ERROR][Python] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 [Python] (F:/3D SLICER/Slicer 5.0.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-5.0/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:397) - Could not read scalar volume using GDCM approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Python] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 [Python] (F:/3D SLICER/Slicer 5.0.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-5.0/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:391) - Loading with imageIOName: DCMTK  
[ERROR][Python] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 [Python] (F:/3D SLICER/Slicer 5.0.2/bin/…/lib/Slicer-5.0/qt-scripted-modules/DICOMScalarVolumePlugin.py:397) - Could not read scalar volume using DCMTK approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[WARNING][Python] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 [Python] (F:\3D SLICER\Slicer 5.0.2\bin\Python\slicer\util.py:2610) - Could not load: 23: t1\_quick3d\_tra\_fs\_bh\_P\_MPRTRA as a Scalar Volume  
[INFO][Stream] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 (unknown:0) - Loading with imageIOName: GDCM  
[ERROR][VTK] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 [vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader (0000024173E28540)] (D:\D\S\S-0\Libs\vtkITK\vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader.cxx:517) - vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader::ExecuteInformation: Cannot open D:/2023-6 影像收集/何宏硕20210119 间隔时间长/20200408腹部MRI/51DT35BB/UTBCMUPO/I4100000. ITK exception info: error in unknown: ITK ERROR: Pixel type larger than output type  
[ERROR][VTK] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 [vtkCompositeDataPipeline (000002417DC7DA40)] (D:\D\S\S-0-build\VTK\Common\ExecutionModel\vtkExecutive.cxx:741) - Algorithm vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader(0000024173E28540) returned failure for request: vtkInformation (00000241166BD3F0)  
Debug: Off  
Modified Time: 71921732  
Reference Count: 1  
Registered Events: (none)  
Request: REQUEST\_INFORMATION  
FORWARD\_DIRECTION: 0  
ALGORITHM\_AFTER\_FORWARD: 1  
[CRITICAL][Stream] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 (unknown:0) - Could not read scalar volume using GDCM approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[INFO][Stream] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 (unknown:0) - Loading with imageIOName: DCMTK  
[ERROR][VTK] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 [vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader (0000024173E29440)] (D:\D\S\S-0\Libs\vtkITK\vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader.cxx:517) - vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesReader::ExecuteInformation: Cannot open D:/2023-6 影像收集/何宏硕20210119 间隔时间长/20200408腹部MRI/51DT35BB/UTBCMUPO/I4100000. ITK exception info: error in unknown: ITK ERROR: Pixel type larger than output type  
[ERROR][VTK] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 [vtkCompositeDataPipeline (000002417DC7DC40)] (D:\D\S\S-0-build\VTK\Common\ExecutionModel\vtkExecutive.cxx:741) - Algorithm vtkITKArchetypeImageSeriesScalarReader(0000024173E29440) returned failure for request: vtkInformation (00000241166C0460)  
Debug: Off  
Modified Time: 71921838  
Reference Count: 1  
Registered Events: (none)  
Request: REQUEST\_INFORMATION  
FORWARD\_DIRECTION: 0  
ALGORITHM\_AFTER\_FORWARD: 1  
[CRITICAL][Stream] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 (unknown:0) - Could not read scalar volume using DCMTK approach. Error is: FileFormatError  
[CRITICAL][Stream] 04.10.2023 13:24:06 (unknown:0) - Could not load: 23: t1\_quick3d\_tra\_fs\_bh\_P\_MPRTRA as a Scalar Volume

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**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:** [October 4, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/i-need-help-encountered-could-not-load-as-a-scalar-volume-when-loading-mri-sequence/32038/2 "2023-10-04T17:54:57Z")

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It seems that the data set is invalid. The issue looks very similar to this one:

> [@Pixel larger than the output type](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/pixel-larger-than-the-output-type/30417/9):
>
> The data set is invalid. See the output of David Clunie’s dciodvfy tool: (0x0040,0x1008) LO Confidentiality Code - Warning - Explicit value representation doesn't match data dictionary; Explicit \<ST\> Dictionary \<LO\> (0x07a3,0x10ca) ? - Warning - Unrecognized tag - assuming explicit value representation OK Warning - Value dubious for this VR - (0x0010,0x0010) PN Patient's Name PN [1] = \<Anonymous\> - Retired Person Name form MRImage Error - Empty attribute (no value) Type 1 Required Element=\<R…

Probably the image has not come straight from the scanner but it was processed/anonymized, which corrupted its content.

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**Author:** ![IrisFang](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/irisfang/32/67760_2.png) [@IrisFang](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/IrisFang)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/i-need-help-encountered-could-not-load-as-a-scalar-volume-when-loading-mri-sequence/32038/3 "2023-10-05T02:26:45Z")

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Thank you very much !  
However, I am very sorry that I am still a rookie in using 3Dslicer. May I ask where I can find the repair tool “dcmodify.exe”? Do I run every file in the dicom folder?

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**Author:** ![pearsonm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/pearsonm/32/18514_2.png) [@pearsonm](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/pearsonm)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/i-need-help-encountered-could-not-load-as-a-scalar-volume-when-loading-mri-sequence/32038/4 "2023-10-05T21:55:05Z")

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dcmodify is part of the dcmtk set of DICOM tools [https://dicom.offis.de/dcmtk.php.en](https://dicom.offis.de/dcmtk.php.en) and you will need to run it for all affected files.

You could also try using gdcmconv from the gdcm DICOM toolkit [https://sourceforge.net/projects/gdcm/](https://sourceforge.net/projects/gdcm/) as it can automatically correct some issues during conversion. The Ubuntu man page has a section on usage [Ubuntu Manpage: gdcmconv - Tool to convert DICOM to DICOM.](https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/jammy/man1/gdcmconv.1.html)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![IrisFang](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/irisfang/32/67760_2.png) [@IrisFang](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/IrisFang)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2023, 7:43am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/i-need-help-encountered-could-not-load-as-a-scalar-volume-when-loading-mri-sequence/32038/5 "2023-10-06T07:43:46Z")

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Thank you! I will try it.