Patent Number: 056299710
Section: abstract

A scan speed procedure and method wherein a minimum radiation exposure period is determined on an object by object basis for a transmission study. Two transmission scans are performed including a prescan followed by a second transmission scan phase. The first transmission prescan is performed using a radiation source over the object. This prescan is of a rapid and predetermined duration (Tp). A resultant count density associated with the object is then generated and examined. The portion having the smallest count density (Cm) is determined and a value (Co) representing the minimum required number of counts for transmission study is given. From the above, a transmission period (Ts) is determined by the system and the second transmission scan phase is performed for the duration Ts using a multi-pass scan phase. The computed duration Ts represents the minimum exposure duration required to collect transmission data to ensure that the count density distribution associated with the object will contain at least Cm count density over each portion of the object.