A computer-implemented method for anatomically indexing a subject, comprising: receiving, by a processor, image scan data representing a volume of a subject, the image scan data being comprised of a plurality of image slices of the subject and including at least a portion of a vertebral column of the subject, the vertebral column having a vertebral canal and comprised of a plurality of vertebral bodies; identifying, by the processor, the vertebral canal of the vertebral column of the subject in the image scan data by performing vertebral extraction from the image scan data; determining, by the processor, a plurality of markers for the vertebral column from the extraction, each marker in the plurality of markers is indicative of a different vertebral body of the vertebral column and includes a scan identifier identifying the image data and coordinates for the given marker in the image scan data, where the coordinates are defined in a first coordinate system associated with the image scan data and where the plurality of markers define a vertebral level coordinate system, and the first coordinate system differs from the vertebral level coordinate system; and storing, by the processor, each marker in the plurality of markers along with its coordinates in a database; determining, by the processor, a location of an anatomical component of the subject in the image scan, the location being defined as a vertebral level coordinate in the vertebral level coordinate system; retrieving, by the processor, the image slice or the image slices corresponding to the vertebral level coordinate; determining, by the processor, a measure from the retrieved image slice or image slices for the anatomical component of the subject; and storing, by the processor, the measure for the anatomical component, along with the location of the anatomical component, in the database receiving, by a processor, image scan data representing a volume of a subject, the image scan data being comprised of a plurality of image slices of the subject and including at least a portion of a vertebral column of the subject, the vertebral column having a vertebral canal and comprised of a plurality of vertebral bodies; identifying, by the processor, the vertebral canal of the vertebral column of the subject in the image scan data by performing vertebral extraction from the image scan data; determining, by the processor, a plurality of markers for the vertebral column from the extraction, each marker in the plurality of markers is indicative of a different vertebral body of the vertebral column and includes a scan identifier identifying the image data and coordinates for the given marker in the image scan data, where the coordinates are defined in a first coordinate system associated with the image scan data and where the plurality of markers define a vertebral level coordinate system, and the first coordinate system differs from the vertebral level coordinate system; and storing, by the processor, each marker in the plurality of markers along with its coordinates in a database; determining, by the processor, a location of an anatomical component of the subject in the image scan, the location being defined as a vertebral level coordinate in the vertebral level coordinate system; retrieving, by the processor, the image slice or the image slices corresponding to the vertebral level coordinate; determining, by the processor, a measure from the retrieved image slice or image slices for the anatomical component of the subject; and storing, by the processor, the measure for the anatomical component, along with the location of the anatomical component, in the database