A system renders oblique slices through volumetric data accessed via a network using a client-server architecture. The system includes a server for processing and storing volumetric data comprising axial slices obtained from a diagnostic scanning system, a client for processing user requests related to specific views of the volumetric data, and a network protocol for connecting the client with the server over the network and obtaining data from the server for use by the client. A processing stage at the client specifies an oblique slice and communicates particulars of the oblique slice to the server, thereupon obtaining axial slice data from the server specifically for portions of the axial slices that are needed to render the oblique slice. Memory at the client stores the axial slice data, and a rendering stage at the client renders the oblique slice from the axial slice data in the memory.