System and method for retrieving and processing metadata

1. A method of retrieving metadata stored on a storage medium, the method comprising:

in response to a request from a client for metadata for a set of DICOM instances, the set of DICOM instances having a number, loading, at a server, n DICOM instances of the set of requested DICOM instances, where n is less than the number of the set of DICOM instances;

comparing, at the server, the metadata of the n loaded DICOM instances to each other;

generating, at the server, a common set of values of the metadata of the n loaded DICOM instances based on the comparison of the n loaded DICOM instances;

streaming the common set of values from the server to the client;

for each of the requested DICOM instances:

loading the DICOM instance at the server, if not already loaded;

determining per-instance data for the DICOM instance at the server, the per-instance data being a difference between the metadata of the DICOM instance and the common set of values of the metadata of the n DICOM instances; and

transmitting the per-instance data of the DICOM instance from the server to the client.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common values are generated as a binary large object (blob).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the n instances correspond to a series.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the n instances correspond to a sub-series.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the n instances exclude an unusual instance.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the n instances exclude a localizer image.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the n instances exclude a scout image.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmission of the per-instance data of the n loaded DICOM instances to the client is initiated prior to loading of the additional DICOM instances.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request for pixel data from the client; and

transmitting pixel data to the client.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at the client:

receiving the set of common values;

receiving the per-instance data;

initiating a display based on the common values;

receiving pixel data; and

displaying the pixel data.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that cause a processor to perform a method retrieving metadata stored on a storage medium according to claim 1 .

12. A server for use in retrieval of metadata stored on a storage medium, the server comprising:

a processor, the processor configured to:

in response to a request from a client for metadata for a set of DICOM instances, the set of DICOM instances having a number, load, at the server, n DICOM instances of the set of requested DICOM instances, where n is less than the number of the set of DICOM instances;

compare the metadata of the n loaded DICOM instances to each other at the server;

generate a common set of values of the metadata of the n loaded DICOM instances based on the comparison of the n loaded DICOM instances;

stream the common set of values from the server to the client;

for each of the requested DICOM instances:

load the DICOM instance at the server, if not already loaded;

determine per-instance data for the DICOM instance at the server, the per-instance data being a difference between the metadata of the DICOM instance and the common set of values of the metadata of the n DICOM instances; and

transmit the per-instance data of the DICOM instance from the server to the client.

13. The server of claim 12 , wherein the common values are generated as a binary large object (blob).

14. The server of claim 12 , wherein the n instances correspond to a series.

15. The server of claim 12 , wherein the n instances correspond to a sub-series.

16. The server of claim 12 , wherein the n instances exclude an unusual instance.

17. The server of claim 12 , wherein the n instances exclude a localizer image.

18. The server of claim 12 , wherein the n instances exclude a scout image.

19. The server of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the transmission of the per-instance data of the n loaded DICOM instances to the client prior to loading of the additional DICOM instances.

20. The server of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a request for pixel data from the client; and

transmit pixel data to the client.