Well Scott seems to be quite comfortable with the 24bits resolution. Personally I have a mental block to cross 16bits with ADC's unless you need to better than the 15PPM level it offers- unless it is for a calibrator or some similiar stuff. To handle 24bits and get a meaningful LSBit would call for a super duper multilayer PCB layout?

As to the linearization part, if the code is done in C, then it should be possible. As in any case you are dealing with temperatures and speed of conversions are nothing to worry about.

Raghu