Dynamic adjustable source collimation during fly-by scanning

An imaging method, comprising:

• varying a beam angle of a radiation beam emitted by an x-ray tube translating along a z-axis direction as the x-ray tube along the z-axis direction during a fly-by scan, wherein the beam angle increases as the x-ray tube translates from an initial position to an intermediate position and decreases as the x-ray tube translates from the intermediate position to a destination position, wherein varying the beam angle of the radiation beam includes concurrently translating, in opposing directions, first and second collimator blades of a source collimator that translates along with the translating x-ray tube.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

• selectively vary a size of an aperture of a radiation source collimator in a z-axis direction during a fly-by scan performed with a medical imaging system in which a radiation source and the radiation source collimator translate in coordination from an initial position to a destination position, wherein the aperture determines a beam geometry of a radiation beam traversing a region of interest disposed in an examination region of the system and the size of the aperture is varied by concurrently and asynchronously translating, in opposing directions, first and second collimator blades of the radiation source collimator.