Checksums for objects and not embedded metadata

Howdy all,

I've been toying with the idea of embedding DOI's in all our digital assets
and possibly inserting/updating other metadata as well. However, doing this
would alter checksums created using normal methods.

Is there a practical/easy way to checksum only the objects themselves
without the metadata? If the metadata in a tiff or other kind of file is
modified, it does nothing to the actual object. Since providing more
complete metadata within objects makes them more usable/identifiable and
might simplify migrations down the road, it seems like this wouldn't be a
bad way to go.

Thanks,

kyle