Patent ID: 7558364

Claim:
A method of dose modulation in CT imaging comprising: acquiring initial transmission tomographic imaging data of an associated imaging subject using an x-ray radiation source revolving around the associated imaging subject for an initial revolution of the radiation source using a preselected level of radiation generated by the x-ray radiation source; estimating a constant of proportionality relating: (i) x-ray current of the x-ray radiation source and (ii) attenuation of radiation raised to a selected power, the constant of proportionality being estimated based on the initial transmission tomographic imaging data acquired in the initial revolution; performing tomographic imaging by acquiring transmission tomographic imaging data of the associated imaging subject using the x-ray radiation source revolving around the associated imaging subject; during the tomographic imaging, determining an estimated attenuation of radiation for an upcoming position or angular bin of the revolving radiation source based on attenuations measured at previous positions or angular bins of the x-ray radiation source; and prior to acquiring tomographic imaging data at the upcoming position or angular bin, adjusting a level of radiation produced by the x-ray radiation source by adjusting the x-ray current proportional to the estimated attenuation of radiation for the upcoming position or angular bin raised to the selected power using the estimated constant of proportionality.