PrintFile filein=gdcm-MR-PHILIPS-16-Multi-Seq.dcm level=2 shows : -> 7 levels of embedded Sequences ... -> Inside the Private 'true length' Sequence : S 0029|263d lg : x(7088) 28808 [SQ] (starts at offset x(1b4a) 6986 ) there is a 'true length SQItem' fffe|e000 lg : x(7080) 28800 [UL] (starts at offset x(1b52) 6994 ) inside, a 'true length' Sequence : 0029|2a06 lg : x(116) 278 [SQ] (starts at offset x(1bda) 7130 ) inside, a 'true length SQItem' fffe|e000 lg : x(2c) 44 [UL] (starts at offset x(1be2) 7138) that contains ( at offset x(1c02) 7170) the *impossible* tag : fffe|0000 lg : x(44c55) 281685 [UL] (starts at offset x(1c02)7170 its 'length' is x(44c55) 281685 ?!? It's taken as a 'group length' (element number = 0x0000), (run PrintFile ans have a look at the output : PrintFile level=2 filename= ... ) gdcm forces its value to 4, and the parsing goes on, successfully. JPRx