1. A method of extracting at least one time-value curve to determine a protocol in an imaging procedure using an imaging system, comprising: determining a first M-dimensional data set of pixel values of a portion of a body of the patient at a first time using the imaging system, wherein M is an integer; determining at least a second M-dimensional data set of pixel values of the portion at a second time using the imaging system; computing a predetermined number of correlated segments of the imaged portion corresponding to a predetermined number of regions of interest of the patient by computing a similarity metric of a time series of pixel values; computing the at least one time-value curve for at least one of the regions of interest; and determining a protocol for a diagnostic scan using the image system based at least in part upon data from the time value curve.