A medical diagnostic system includes an otoscope, which is configured to generate at least a first image (e.g., digital photograph) of a tympanic membrane of a patient, and an apparatus for diagnosing acute otitis media within the patient. The apparatus includes a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium. The computer-readable program code includes a first computer-readable program code that evaluates the at least a first image of the tympanic membrane of the patient relative to a database containing at least one image of a tympanic membrane of at least one archived patient, to thereby detect indicia of acute otitis media in the patient.