According to an aspect of the present invention, processed image data in which distortion due to breast cancer is enhanced is generated by performing, on mammographic image data, image processing using a filter that relatively amplifies medium band components between high and low frequency bands and/or a filter that increases or reduces components having predetermined orientations. According to an aspect of the invention, a processed image for supporting breast cancer diagnosis is printed or recorded on a printing medium or a computer-readable recording medium and, in the processed image, band components between high and low frequency bands in a mammographic original image are relatively amplified and/or components having predetermined orientations in the mammographic original image are increased or reduced.
