Imaging method and system concatenating image data values to form an integer, partition the integer, and arithmetically encode bit position counts of the integer

Extended lossless imaging method and system, useful for medical and other imaging, where a succession of values of optical density or other feature of interest may be obtained by scanning an image as an array, or may be selected otherwise. Image data values in binary form are linked end to end into a concatenated number, partitionable into a set of ordered (non-repeating) numerical terms summing to it. Position counts of such a concatenated number also may be summed, as to give a "characteristic" whole part of a real number, and may be encoded arithmetically to give a "mantissa" fractional part thereof. The derived numbers are electronically stored for retrieval directly or by reverse computation, to yield reconstituted image data values, from which a lossless replica of the original image is readily made.