A system compares clinical trial protocol data in a configuration file with medical image metadata and data exchange protocol header data and in response generates a message to a user. A patient clinical image data processing system comprises a first validation processor for parsing a message conveying patient medical image data to identify image metadata indicating first characteristics of the image. The first validation processor performs a first comparison by comparing the metadata with configuration data indicating predetermined characteristics of images required for a particular use and indicating the image is acceptable for the use in response to a successful first comparison. A second validation processor parses header data of DICOM compatible data representing the image to identify image metadata indicating second characteristics of the image. The second validation processor performs a second comparison by comparing header data with configuration data indicating predetermined characteristics of images required for a particular use and indicating the image is acceptable for the use in response to a successful second comparison. A data processor indicates the image is acceptable for the use in response to successful first and second comparisons.