A method and system for dose-optimized acquisition of a computed tomography (CT) scan of a target organ is disclosed. A localizer spiral CT scan is started at a beginning of a confidence range beforea target organ. Real-time localizer scan images are automatically analyzed to predict a beginning location of the target organ based on the real-time localizer scan images. A diagnostic spiral CT scanis automatically started at the predicted beginning location of the target organ. Real-time diagnostic scan images are automatically analyzed to predict an end location of the target organ where fullcoverage of the target organ will be reached. The diagnostic spiral CT scan is automatically stopped in response to reaching the predicted end location of the target organ. A 3D profile can be acquired using a 3D camera and used to determine the confidence range before the target organ.