Method and apparatus for performing precise patient-specific automatic tube current modulation in computed tomography

A method for performing X-ray exposure control in a computed tomography (CT) imaging system including an X-ray source, the method comprising:

• acquiring scout scan data from a scout scan performed on an imaging object;
• in a slice-by-slice manner, generating a plurality of view-group-based noise images for slices of the CT imaging system, based on the acquired scout scan data;
• identifying a region-of-interest (ROI) with respect to which the X-ray exposure control is to be performed;
• determining a target noise standard deviation (SD) to be achieved by performing the X-ray exposure control;
• generating a tube current modulation curve with respect to the identified ROI, based on the generated plurality of view-group-based noise images and the determined target noise SD;
• and
• performing an imaging scan on the imaging object, with a tube current applied to the X-ray source being modulated based on the generated tube current modulation curve.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for performing X-ray exposure control in a computed tomography (CT) imaging system including an X-ray source, the method comprising:

• acquiring scout scan data from a scout scan performed on an imaging object;
• in a slice-by-slice manner, generating a plurality of view-group-based noise images for slices of the CT imaging system, based on the acquired scout scan data;
• identifying a region-of-interest (ROI) with respect to which the X-ray exposure control is to be performed;
• determining a target noise standard deviation (SD) to be achieved by performing the X-ray exposure control;
• generating a tube current modulation curve with respect to the identified ROI, based on the generated plurality of view-group-based noise images and the determined target noise SD;
• and
• performing an imaging scan on the imaging object, with a tube current applied to the X-ray source being modulated based on the generated tube current modulation curve.