The invention pertains to a system for reconstructing images acquired from MR and CT scanners in a robust Gadgetron based cloud computing system. A hardware interface connects clinical imaging instruments (e.g., MR or CT scanners) with a cloud computing environment that includes image data reconstruction and processing software not limited by the computational constraints typical of static hardware with finite processor power. Raw imaging data acquired from an MR or CT instrument is evaluated and categorized based on a pre-prioritized dimensionality parameter (e.g., spatial dimension parameter; three- or two-dimensionality, a time parameter, a flow/velocity parameter, an experiment timing dimension parameter, a diffusion encoding parameter, a functional/physiological testing dimension parameter, or a physiologic gating index parameter) and transmitted to a corresponding cloud computing environment for processing and reconstruction. The final processed image is retransmitted to a user interface that can be read by a radiologist or technician.