1. A breast x-ray imaging method comprising: acquiring one or more initial x-ray images of a patient's breast, each of said images being represented by pixel values related to x-rays received at respective image pixel positions of an x-ray imaging receptor; automatically deriving, from said one or more initial x-ray images of the breast, breast characteristics related to selected properties of the imaged breast; automatically selecting, based at least in part on the derived breast characteristics, process parameter settings of image processing algorithms having adjustable process parameter settings; processing said one or more initial breast images with said image processing algorithms using the selected process parameter settings to thereby derive one or more processed breast images; obtaining one or more display images of the breast from said one or more processed breast images; and selectively displaying the one or more display images for screening or diagnosis on one or more display devices.