Patent ID: 7792243

Claim:
Method for automatic exposure control of a mammography apparatus, in which radiation to be used in the imaging is produced at the radiation source, in which radiation including image information is detected by a means for receiving image information and in which radiation having passed through the object being imaged is measured at several locations and in which out of the signals thus attained, at least a portion is selected to be utilized for controlling one or more values of imaging parameters in connection with the imaging, wherein the signals to be utilized for controlling said one or more values of the imaging parameters are selected in a selection process in which signals are selected, either, a desired number in the order of their values beginning from the lowest signal value or, alternatively, as many signals as possible are selected by starting from the lowest signal value such that the difference between a mean value of the selected signals and said lowest signal value is smaller than a desired limit value, wherein said selection process includes i) selecting either at least two signals or selecting a number of signals so that weight of those possible lowest value signals not representing breast tissue remains low, or ii) prior to initiating the selection process, leaving outside the selection process such possible signals which fulfill a predetermined exclusion criterion.