We present an optical data reconstruction method to be used for cancer diagnostics via cytological and histological images. The approach allows realizing extended depth of focus and data compression using wavelet transformation that is realized optically with very low computational complexity. The extended depth of focus and the compressed images are generated out of a set of optically defocused images realized due to axial translation of the diagnosed sample. The extended depth of focus image

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... ay be used for 3-D cytological information display without stereo projection. Note that the extended depth of focus actually means super-resolving imaging, since getting out of focus means filtering the high band spatial frequencies within the image.