1. A process for variable binning of detector data in a non-destructive imaging system, comprising: receiving input data indicative of a desired image quality; receiving input data indicative of an imaging task; receiving input data describing a test subject or a portion of the test subject; combining the received input data about desired imaged quality, imaging task, and test subject with non-destructive imaging system capabilities; determining if the non-destructive imaging system is capable of achieving the image quality goals using binning, wherein the capability is a reduction of one or more dose, spatial frequency response, detective quantum efficiency and other user defined variables; and performing binning analyses when the non-destructive imaging system is capable of achieving the image quality goals using binning.