A method of determining a radiation dose applied to different anatomical stages of an exposed subject with diagnostic image acquisition by an imaging scanner, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring a two-dimensional scout image associated with the exposed subject acquired with the imaging scanner; calculating with a computer processor a contour of an extremity of the exposed subject from the two-dimensional scout image; calculating a contour of a first anatomical landmark dependent on a greyscale intensity of the plurality of pixels that comprise the two-dimensional scout image; calculating a contour of a first anatomical stage dependent on a predefined geometric orientation relative the contour of the first anatomical landmark and the calculated contour of the extremity; wherein the first anatomical stage is a region of interest of the exposed subject defined on two sides by the contour of the extremity of the exposed subject and on the other two sides by the contour that defines the first anatomical landmark of the exposed subject and the calculated contour ; applying predefined auxology criteria to calculate a contour of a second anatomical stage dependent on a predefined geometric orientation relative to the contour of the first anatomical stage , wherein the second anatomical stage is a region of interest of the exposed subject defined on two sides by the contour of the extremity of the exposed subject and on the other two sides by the contour that defines the first anatomical stage and the calculated contour ; create a display illustrative of a calculated local dose applied in combination with and relative to the contours of the first and second anatomical stages . acquiring a two-dimensional scout image associated with the exposed subject acquired with the imaging scanner; calculating with a computer processor a contour of an extremity of the exposed subject from the two-dimensional scout image; calculating a contour of a first anatomical landmark dependent on a greyscale intensity of the plurality of pixels that comprise the two-dimensional scout image; calculating a contour of a first anatomical stage dependent on a predefined geometric orientation relative the contour of the first anatomical landmark and the calculated contour of the extremity; wherein the first anatomical stage is a region of interest of the exposed subject defined on two sides by the contour of the extremity of the exposed subject and on the other two sides by the contour that defines the first anatomical landmark of the exposed subject and the calculated contour ; applying predefined auxology criteria to calculate a contour of a second anatomical stage dependent on a predefined geometric orientation relative to the contour of the first anatomical stage , wherein the second anatomical stage is a region of interest of the exposed subject defined on two sides by the contour of the extremity of the exposed subject and on the other two sides by the contour that defines the first anatomical stage and the calculated contour ; create a display illustrative of a calculated local dose applied in combination with and relative to the contours of the first and second anatomical stages . <EOS>