Methods and apparatus for range based X-Ray attenuation

1. A method for automatically setting X-Ray strength comprising:

automatically using at least one first range finding device mounted on a movable arm and being able to be directed to an object comprising a portion of patient anatomy to be X-rayed to determine a distance to said object to be X-rayed;

automatically estimating a volume of said object to be X-Rayed in response to the determined distance to said object to be X-rayed; and

automatically selecting an X-Ray radiation strength based on the estimated volume for use in updating X-ray device settings to provide X-ray radiation of the selected strength to said object to be X-rayed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically estimating a volume of an object to be X-Rayed comprises:

automatically using a second range finding device and being able to be directed to an object to determine a distance to an object;

using the first and second range finding devices in determining a plurality of distances to one or more objects; and

estimating the volume of said object to be X-Rayed based on the determined plurality of distances.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:

said first and second range finding devices determine said plurality of distances to one or more objects using a plurality of collimated light beams;

a first of the plurality of distances comprises a distance to a portion of a body;

a second of the plurality of distances is the distance to a table for supporting the body; and

the portion of the body is said object to be X-Rayed.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more of the objects includes the object to be X-Rayed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the volume of an object to be X-Rayed comprises:

estimating the volume of the object to be X-Rayed within a plurality of predetermined ranges.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the selected X-Ray strength corresponds to the one of the plurality of ranges.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the X-Ray strength comprises:

selecting an X-Ray wavelength, an X-Ray frequency, an X-Ray beam energy, or an X-Ray power.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

estimating a density of the object to be X-Rayed based at least in part on the plurality of distances.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

setting an X-Ray machine to transmit X-Rays at the selected strength.

10. A system for use in automatically setting X-Ray strength comprising:

at least one movable arm able to be directed to one or more objects including an object to be X-rayed;

a plurality of range finding lasers mounted on said at least one movable arm and configured to measure distances to said one or more objects including said object to be X-rayed to determine a distance to said object to be X-rayed; and

a controller configured to automatically estimate a volume of said object to be X-Rayed based on the measured distances and to automatically set an X-Ray strength based on the estimated volume for use in updating X-ray device settings to provide X-ray radiation of the selected strength to said object to be X-rayed.

11. A system for use in automatically setting X-Ray strength comprising:

a plurality of lasers configured to measure distances to one or more objects; and

a controller configured to automatically estimate a volume of one of the one or more objects based on the measured distances and to automatically set an X-Ray strength based on the estimated volume;

a support arm; and

wherein the plurality of lasers comprises:

a first plurality of lasers proximal to a first end of the support arm directed toward at least one of the objects; and

a second plurality of lasers proximal to a second end of the support arm directed toward at least one of the objects.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

a table configured to support at least one of the objects, wherein the supported object is an object to be X-Rayed.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the support arm is a c-arm.

14. An apparatus for automatically setting X-Ray strength comprising:

at least one movable arm able to be directed to one or more objects including an object to be X-rayed;

at least one range finding device mounted on said at least one movable arm and configured to measure distances to said one or more objects including said object to be X-rayed to determine a distance to said object to be X-rayed;

means for automatically estimating a volume of said object to be X-Rayed based on the measured distances; and

means for automatically selecting an X-Ray strength based on the estimated volume for use in updating X-ray device settings to provide X-ray radiation of the selected strength to said object to be X-rayed.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the means for automatically estimating a volume of an object to be X-Rayed comprises:

means for determining a first distance to one or more objects;

means for determining a second distance to one or more objects; and

means for estimating a volume of the object to be X-Rayed based on the determined first and second distances.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

the first distance is the distance to a portion of a body;

the second distance is the distance to a table for supporting the body; and

the portion of the body is the object to be X-Rayed.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the means for estimating the volume of an object further comprises:

means for estimating the volume of the object within a plurality of predetermined ranges.

18. The apparatus of claims 17 further comprising:

means for corresponding the selected strength of the X-Ray to one of the plurality of ranges.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

means for automatically selecting at least one X-Ray parameter based on the estimated volume.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

means for estimating a density of the object to be X-Rayed based at least in part on the first and second distances.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

means for setting an X-Ray machine to transmit X-Rays at the selected strength.