Patent ID: 7734007

Claim:
An X-ray imaging system for performing automated imaging of patient anatomy, comprising: at least one repository of data determining a series of pre-programmed steps comprising a plurality of incremental distances to be moved by an X-ray detector and X-ray emitter combination relative to a portion of patient anatomy; a collimator including at least one portion of X-ray absorbent material automatically adjustable to alter the dimensions of a spatial cross section of an X-ray beam of radiation, in response to a control signal; a collimator controller for generating said control signal in response to, determining one or more regions of the X-ray detector corresponding to a portion of patient anatomy to be X-rayed in response to X-ray absorbent markers indicating boundaries of said portion of patient anatomy during an initialization X-ray exposure for individual steps of said series of pre-programmed steps and determining different positions of said portion of X-ray absorbent material for corresponding individual steps of said series of pre-programmed steps in response to the determined regions; and an X-ray imaging device for automatically moving an X-ray detector and X-ray emitter combination relative to patient anatomy in a series of pre-programmed steps, in response to data representing the determined series of pre-programmed steps and user command and automatically adjusting the position of said portion of X-ray absorbent material via said control signal to the determined positions of said portion of X-ray absorbent material to limit the spatial cross section of an X-ray beam of radiation for individual steps of said series of pre-programmed steps.