System and method for distributing centrally located pre-processed medical image data to remote terminals

An article of manufacture, comprising:

• a machine-readable medium for a central location coupled to receive medical image data and to distribute the medical image data to at least some remote terminals having minimal image data processing capabilities, the machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to:
• centrally process the received medical image data according to at least one image processing parameter, from among a plurality of available image processing parameters, associated with at least one of the remote terminals;
• and
• send the processed medical image data to the remote terminal associated with the image processing parameter used during the central processing.

A system, comprising:

• a means for configuring a central location to centrally process image data and to distribute the processed image data to at least some remote recipients having minimal image data processing capabilities;
• a means for receiving the image data at the central location;
• a means for centrally processing the received image data at the central location according to at least one image processing parameter, from among a plurality of available image processing parameters, associated with at least one of the remote recipients;
• and
• a means for sending the processed image data to the remote recipient associated with the image processing parameter used during the central processing.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of rules to specify how received medical images are to be processed;
• a storage medium to store a software program;
• a processor coupled to the storage medium to cooperate with the software program to select at least one of the rules and to process the received medical images based on the selected rule;
• and
• a communication interface coupled to the processor to send the processed medical images to at least one remote terminal associated with the selected rule, wherein the processor is adapted to perform processing of the medical images alternatively to having the medical images processed at remote terminals.

A system, comprising:

• an image acquisition device to acquire medical images;
• a plurality of rules to specify how acquired medical images are to be processed;
• a storage medium to store a software program;
• a processor coupled to the storage medium to cooperate with the software program to select at least one of the rules and to process the acquired medical images based on the selected rule;
• and
• a communication interface coupled to the processor to send the processed medical images to at least one remote terminal associated with the selected rule, wherein the processor is adapted to perform processing of the medical images alternatively to having the medical images processed at remote terminals.