Patent Number: 
Section: abstract

Devices and methods for implementing selective, or asymmetric, attenuation of an x-ray beam. In one example, a filter is provided that is substantially in the form of a wedge where some portions of the filter are thicker, and thus provide greater attenuation, than other, thinner portions of the filter. The filter is situated between the target surface of the anode and the x-ray subject so that x-rays generated by the target pass through the filter before reaching the x-ray subject. Specifically, the filter is oriented so that the thicker portion of the filter receives the higher intensity portion of the x-ray beam, while the thinner portion of the filter receives the relatively lower intensity portion of the x-ray beam. Thus, the gain profile of the x-ray beam is flattened so that the intensity, or flux, of the x-ray beam is relatively uniform throughout a substantial portion of the beam profile.