Method and system for real-time volume rendering on thin clients via render server

A system for rendering of 3D images including a server computer coupled to client computers wherein a rendering and communication chain is provided for viewing ports of said client computers, said rendering and communication chain being subdivided into successive pipeline stages including:

• query user inputs for new images to be rendered,
• compute new sets of render parameters according to the user inputs,
• send the sets of render parameters from the client computer to the server computer,
• render different images on the server computer according to the render parameter sets,
• compress the rendered images,
• send the compressed rendered images from the server computer to the client computers,
• decompress the compressed rendered images,
• display the rendered image on the client computers,
• wherein simultaneous execution is provided of a number of said pipeline stages, and wherein the successive pipeline stages work simultaneously on successive rendered images of the different images displayed on the different viewing ports of the clients.