A method and apparatus for compressing computed tomography raw image data includes taking image data with a CT scan, stripping away any proprietary frame or reference data, compressing the data using a compression software such as JPEG-LS, and then storing or transmitting the data over a network or the like to another computer or storage/display device. The compression software may be conveniently stored in a computer and ready for processing of the raw CT scan data. The compressed raw CT scan data may then be used to reconstruct images, as desired, at a later date. By compressing the raw data, it is possible to later reconstruct additional or different views than those taken or used at the time of original diagnosis as may be useful for diagnosis of other medical conditions later discovered or to verify a diagnosis previously taken with the exact same data used by the medical professional during the original diagnosis. The original identifying data may also be stored and/or transmitted to allow accurate reconstruction of the original views.