Patent ID: 8189740

Claim:
An X-ray CT apparatus, comprising: a scan plan setting unit configured to set a scan condition for an element of a scan plan for an actual subject; a reference dose storage unit configured to store a reference dose information table including a relation between body attribute information for each of a plurality of potential subjects and reference doses to be referenced for exposure, wherein the body attribution information is at least one of age, weight, and height of each potential subject, and wherein the reference doses are indicated by CTDI (Computed Tomography Dose Index), DLP (Dose Length Product), and sum of DLP; an exposure dose calculation unit configured to calculate an exposure dose corresponding to the scan condition, before transmitting X-rays corresponding to the scan condition; a dose decision unit configured to decide whether the calculated exposure dose exceeds the reference dose corresponding to at least one of age, weight, and height of the actual subject, based on the reference dose information table stored in the reference dose storage unit, to produce a dose decision, before transmitting X-rays corresponding to the scan condition; an image generation unit configured to generate an image based on data acquired by transmitting the X-rays corresponding to the scan condition, when the dose decision unit decides that the calculated exposure dose does not exceed the reference dose; and a dose warning unit configured to output a warning message before transmitting any X-rays corresponding to the scan condition, when the dose decision unit decides that the calculated exposure dose exceeds the reference dose.