Patent ID: 7431500

Claim:
A method for optimizing radiographic image quality of a single x-ray image of an object that is produced by irradiating the object with x-rays from an x-ray apparatus during an x-ray exposure period, the x-ray apparatus including an x-ray source configured to generate x-rays directed towards and through said object and an x-ray imaging system configured to receive x-rays that have been emitted from the x-ray source and have passed through the object, the x-ray source including an electron source and an x-ray emissive target, the method comprising: A. determining a first operating voltage level kVp 0 of the x-ray source for initial operation of the x-ray apparatus; B. during a first sampling interval Δt 1 in the beginning of the x-ray exposure period, operating the x-ray source in the x-ray apparatus at said first operating voltage level kVp 0 and using one or more sensors to detect x-rays that have passed through a portion of the object during the interval Δt 1 , the one or more sensors disposed between the object and the x-ray imaging system, wherein the first sampling interval Δt 1 is relatively small compared to the x-ray exposure period, wherein the x-ray exposure period is a length of time during which said object must be irradiated with the x-rays in order for said single x-ray image of said object to be generated; C. after said first sampling interval Δt 1 , processing the output signals from said sensors to determine a second operating voltage level kVp 1 of the x-ray source; D. during a second sampling interval Δt 2 within the same x-ray exposure period, wherein the object is irradiated with x-rays from the x-ray apparatus during said x-ray exposure period to generate said single image of the object, operating the x-ray source of said x-ray apparatus at said second operating voltage level kVp 1 and using said sensors to detect x-rays that have passed through a portion of the object during the interval Δt 2 , wherein the second sampling interval Δt 2 is also relatively small compared to the x-ray exposure period for said single image of the object; and E. after said second sampling interval Δt 2 , processing the sensor output signals to determine an optimal value kVp 2 for the operating voltage level, and setting the operating voltage level of the x-ray source of the x-ray apparatus to said optimal value kVp 2 for the remainder of the x-ray exposure period of the single image of the entire object.