An imaging system includes an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert an analog pixel value into a first digital pixel value. The imaging system also includes an index value source configured to receive the first digital pixel value from the analog-to-digital converter and to generate a digital index value based on a comparison of the first digital pixel value to a digital reference value. In addition, the imaging system includes a transmitter in communication with the index value source and configured to transmit the digital index value. Further, the imaging system includes an image processing component configured to receive the digital index value and to generate a second digital pixel value based at least in part on the received digital index value and a lookup table of the image processing component.