Abstract The objective of this study was to determine patient dose distributions in the usual hypocycloidal tomographic techniques and then to investigate two means of reducing this dose. The effect of added filtration on both film quality and dose reduction was determined, and effects of selected organ shielding on patient dose were measured. It was determined that, despite some variation in film quality with filtration, it would not decrease the value of the procedures and would definitely decrease patient dose. Selective shields offer significant patient protection during tomography and should be used if they do not compromise the information sought.