Dynamic transfer of three-dimensional image data

An image processing system comprising:

• a server including a processor and storage configured to store a unitary pyramidal representation of a volumetric image, the unitary pyramidal representation comprising a set of coefficient voxels and having hierarchical levels where each successive level adds information for providing increased spatial resolution, and each coefficient voxel corresponds to a defined three-dimensional spatial region of the volumetric image and to a selected level of the hierarchy;
• a network interface configured to convey selected coefficient voxels via a network responsive to a request for imaging data of the volumetric image corresponding to a selected spatial region and to a selected spatial resolution;
• and
• a client including a processor, storage, and a display, the client configured to receive from the server the conveyed selected coefficient voxels and to reconstruct and show on the display an image reconstructed from the received coefficient voxels corresponding to the selected spatial region and the selected spatial resolution;
• wherein the client further includes at least one user input device and is configured to execute an image navigation and processing application program operating in conjunction with the display and the at least one user input device, the executing image navigation and processing application program selecting the spatial region and the spatial resolution, the client further configured to generate and send to the server a client request identifying the selected spatial region and the selected spatial resolution or identifying coefficient voxels corresponding to the selected spatial region and the selected spatial resolution.