Patent ID: 8155422

Claim:
A method for dynamically optimizing the signal-to-noise ratio of attenuation data related to two different X-ray energies for reconstructing an image of an object under examination, the method comprising:: estimating, with a processor the thickness and the material composition of the object at a first projection angle of X-rays traversing the object, estimating, with the processor, the thickness and the material composition of the object at a second projection angle of X-rays traversing the object, selecting, with the processor, a first X-ray energy assigned to the first projection angle and a second X-ray energy assigned to the first projection angle in such a manner that a first common signal-to-noise ratio of attenuation data based on the first X-ray energy assigned to the first projection angle and on the second X-ray energy assigned to the first projection angle is optimized, selecting, with the processor, a third X-ray energy assigned to the second projection angle and a fourth X-ray energy assigned to the second projection angle in such a manner that a second common signal-to-noise ratio of attenuation data based on the third X-ray energy assigned to the second projection angle and on the fourth X-ray energy assigned to the second projection angle is optimized, acquiring X-ray attenuation data of the object at the first projection angle with the first X-ray energy assigned to the first projection angle and with the second X-ray energy assigned to the first projection angle, and acquiring X-ray attenuation data of the object at the second projection angle with the third X-ray energy assigned to the second projection angle and with the fourth X-ray energy assigned to the second projection angle.