Methods and systems for automatic body-contouring imaging

A method of imaging a patient using a automatic body-contouring imaging system, said method comprising:

• rotating a detector about a longitudinal axis of a patient viewing area;
• sensing a distance range between the detector and at least one of an object that is proximate the viewing area and the patient;
• and
• moving the detector in at least at least a lateral direction above or below a longitudinal axis in a y-plane and independently translating the detector horizontally about a longitudinal axis in a x-plane using the detected distance range, such that a face of the detector circumscribes the patient for a predetermined angular displacement at a substantially uniform distance between a face of the detector and the patient.

An imaging system for performing automatic body-contouring, said system comprising:

• a gantry with a patient bore therethrough;
• a rotor rotatably coupled to said gantry, said rotor configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of said bore, said rotor comprising:
• a transaxial movement assembly coupled to said rotor, said transaxial assembly configured to move at least one detector in at least one of a lateral out direction, a lateral in direction, a radial out direction, and a radial in direction with respect to said rotor;
• and
• at least one detector revolvably coupled to said transaxial movement assembly, each of said at least one detector configured to revolve about an axis that is parallel to said longitudinal axis of said bore, said transaxial movement assembly configured to translate each of said at least one detector in a transverse plane of rotation of the at least one detector.