A rotary X-ray anode, which has a support body and a focal path formed on the support body, wherein the support body and the focal path are produced as a composite by powder metallurgy, the support body is formed from molybdenum or a molybdenum-based alloy and the focal path is formed from tungsten or a tungsten-based alloy, characterized in that, in the conclusively heat-treated rotary X-ray anode, at least one portion of the focal path is present in a non-recrystallized and/or in a partially recrystallized structure and in that the portion of the focal path has a mean small-angle grain boundary spacing of ≤ 10 μm, - wherein the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing can be determined by a measurement process in which grain boundaries, grain boundary portions and small-angle grain boundaries with a grain boundary angle of ≥ 5° are determined on a radial cross-sectional area running perpendicular to the focal path plane in a region of the portion of the focal path, - to determine the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing parallel to the focal path plane, a group of lines which runs parallel to the cross-sectional area and is made up of lines which each run parallel to the focal path plane and are at a spacing of in each case 17.2 μm in relation to one another is placed into the grain boundary pattern thereby obtained, respectively the spacings between in each case two mutually adjacent intersections between the respective line and lines of the grain boundary pattern are determined on the individual lines, and the mean value of these spacings is determined as the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing parallel to the focal path plane, - to determine the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing perpendicular to the focal path plane, a group of lines which runs parallel to the cross-sectional area and is made up of lines which each run perpendicular to the focal path plane and are at a spacing of in each case 17.2 μm in relation to one another is placed into the grain boundary pattern obtained, respectively the spacings between in each case two mutually adjacent intersections between the respective line and lines of the grain boundary pattern are determined on the individual lines, and the mean value of these spacings is determined as the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing perpendicular to the focal path plane, and - the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing is determined as the geometric mean value of the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing parallel to the focal path plane and of the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing perpendicular to the focal path plane. - wherein the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing can be determined by a measurement process in which grain boundaries, grain boundary portions and small-angle grain boundaries with a grain boundary angle of ≥ 5° are determined on a radial cross-sectional area running perpendicular to the focal path plane in a region of the portion of the focal path, - to determine the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing parallel to the focal path plane, a group of lines which runs parallel to the cross-sectional area and is made up of lines which each run parallel to the focal path plane and are at a spacing of in each case 17.2 μm in relation to one another is placed into the grain boundary pattern thereby obtained, respectively the spacings between in each case two mutually adjacent intersections between the respective line and lines of the grain boundary pattern are determined on the individual lines, and the mean value of these spacings is determined as the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing parallel to the focal path plane, - to determine the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing perpendicular to the focal path plane, a group of lines which runs parallel to the cross-sectional area and is made up of lines which each run perpendicular to the focal path plane and are at a spacing of in each case 17.2 μm in relation to one another is placed into the grain boundary pattern obtained, respectively the spacings between in each case two mutually adjacent intersections between the respective line and lines of the grain boundary pattern are determined on the individual lines, and the mean value of these spacings is determined as the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing perpendicular to the focal path plane, and - the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing is determined as the geometric mean value of the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing parallel to the focal path plane and of the mean small-angle grain boundary spacing perpendicular to the focal path plane.