Patent ID: 8155263

Claim:
A computed tomography imager suitable for obtaining scan slices of an imaging target, said imager comprising: an x-ray source disposed in a gantry; a detector assembly for receiving an x-ray emission from said x-ray source, said x-ray source and said detector assembly rotatable about the imaging target; an imager control system for selectively modulating a kVp operating value in said x-ray source during a scan slice in accordance with an x-ray modulation software program; and a computer for receiving data from said detector assembly, and for providing control signals to said imager control system by executing said x-ray modulation software program for at least a portion of a total possible rotational scanning range of said x-ray source, wherein said x-ray emission comprises a substantially fan shape defined by a fan angle, and said x-ray modulation software program functions to modulate said kVp operating value over a scanning view angle of approximately 180° plus said fan angle.