Noise reduction in a storage phosphor data acquisition system

A method of processing an x-ray image signal comprising the steps of:

• a) providing an x-ray image signal having one or more of the following data associated with said signal, data identifying a radiologist, data denoting a body part, data denoting an x-ray projection;
• b) providing a first data base having default data for a radiologist, a body part, x-ray projection;
• c) providing a second data base having preference data for radiologists, body parts, x-ray projections, for each body part/x-ray projection combination--the number of versions of the provided x-ray image signal to be produced, including edge enhancement image processing parameters and tonescale image processing parameters for each version;
• d) searching said second data base to determine if there is a match for the radiologist data associated with said provided x-ray image signal, and if no match is found, searching said first data base for said default radiologist and associating said default radiologist with said provided x-ray image signal;
• e) if default radiologist has been associated with said provided x-ray image signal searching said second data base to determine if there is a match for the default radiologist and body part and x-ray projection data associated with said provided x-ray image signal, and if no match is found, searching said first data base for the default data of said default radiologist and default body part and default x-ray projection, and temporarily associating said default body part and default x-ray projection with said provided x-ray image signal;
• f) if default radiologist, default body part, and default x-ray projection have been associated with said provided x-ray image signal searching said second data base to determine there is a match for the default radiologist, default body part and default x-ray projection, and extracting from said matched file said one or more versions with edge enhancement and tonescale image processing parameters;
• g) processing said provided x-ray image signal to produce said one or more versions of said provided x-ray image signal, as a function of said edge enhancement and tonescale parameters extracted from said file for each of said versions;
• and
• h) searching said second data base to determine if there is a match for the matched radiologist and body part and x-ray projection data associated with said provided x-ray image signal, and if no match is found, searching said first data base for the default data of said default body part and default x-ray projecting and temporarily associating said default body part and default x-ray projection with said part and default x-ray projection with said provided x-ray image signal;
• and wherein at step f said second data base is searched to determine that there is a match for the matched radiologist, default body part and default x-ray projection, and there is extracted from said matched file, said one or more versions with edge enhancement and tonescale image processing parameters.