Patent ID: 7315610

Claim:
A method for obtaining an x-ray image of a subject, comprising the steps: irradiating a subject with x-rays produced in an x-ray tube by emitting electrons from a cathode onto a focal spot on a surface of an anode while rotating the anode around a rotation axis to cause an x-ray beam to be emitted from said focal spot, said surface being inclined relative to said rotation axis and thereby causing said x-ray beam to have a varying image resolution/definition within said x-ray beam from a side of said x-ray beam facing said cathode to a side of said x-ray beam facing said anode, with an x-ray beam of highest image resolution/definition being at said side of said x-ray beam facing said anode; gating said x-ray beam to produce a fan-shaped x-ray beam therefrom; moving said fan-shaped x-ray beam through an examination region, containing said subject, substantially in a direction of the rotation axis of said rotary anode by tilting said x-ray tube relative to said focal spot to cause said fan-shaped x-ray beam to always to be gated from said region of highest image resolution/definition during movement of said fan-shaped x-ray beam through the examination region; and detecting x-rays in said fan-shaped x-ray beam attenuated by said subject and generating an x-ray image of the subject therefrom.