1. A method for automated detection of target structures shown in digital medical images, the method of comprising: generating a three dimensional (3D) volumetric data set of a patient region within which the target structure resides from a plurality of segmented medical image slices; grouping contiguous structures that are depicted in the 3D volumetric data set to create corresponding grouped structure data sets; assigning each grouped structure data set to one of a plurality of detection algorithms, each detection algorithm being configured to detect a different type of target structure; and processing each grouped structure data set according to its assigned detection algorithm to thereby detect whether any target structures are present in the medical images.