A method and apparatus for using header information of stereoscopic image data is provided. The method includes using three-dimensional reproduction period information related to three-dimensionally reproduced stereoscopic image data of image data recorded in a payload region of the stereoscopic image bitstream, in a header region of the stereoscopic image bitstream; recording camera information related to cameras used for obtaining a stereoscopic image, in the header region; recording parallax information between base and additional images of the stereoscopic image in the header region; and recording the image data in the payload region of the stereoscopic image bitstream.