Patent ID: 6947581

Claim:
In a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), a method of processing image data at a PACS display workstation, the method comprising: retrieving from a PACS database, using a PACS display workstation, partially preprocessed raw image data, said partially preprocessed raw image data having been partially preprocessed according to a predetermined subset of preprocessing functions obtained from a set of preprocessing functions comprising at least contrast and frequency preprocessing functions, said predetermined subset of preprocessing functions applied to modality raw image data at an acquisition workstation, said modality raw image data delivered from an imaging modality; selecting from a PACS database, using the PACS display workstation, a first preprocessing function for the partially preprocessed raw image data, wherein said first preprocessing function is stored in said PACS database, said first preprocessing function comprising the remaining subset of preprocessing functions from the set of preprocessing functions not included in said predetermined subset of preprocessing functions; and applying, using the PACS display workstation, the first preprocessing function to the partially preprocessed raw image data to create resultant image data.