A body compression device for medical imaging of a patient includes a pad that wraps about the patient and is secured about the patient, reshaping adipose tissue of the patient to facilitate the medical imaging. Another body compression device for medical imaging includes dorsal and ventral panels, and elastic side panels affixed to one or both of the dorsal and ventral panels. The dorsal and ventral panels are secured about the patient. A method of reducing total radiation exposure during CT imaging includes an X-ray fiducial device embedded in the ventral panel. A CT pre-scan image of the patient is generated. A medical region of interest of the patient is determined from a position of the device in the CT pre-scan image. Radiation shielding is placed on one or more portions of the patient that are outside the medical region of interest before the CT imaging is performed.