Photon counting detector pixel having an anode including two or more alternatively selectable and separate sub-anodes

An imaging system, comprising:

• a radiation source that emits x-ray radiation that traverses an examination region;
• a detector array with a plurality of photon counting detector pixels that detect x-ray radiation traversing the examination region and respectively generate a signal indicative of the detected x-ray radiation, a photon counting detector pixel, comprising:
• a direct conversion layer having a first radiation receiving side and second opposing side;
• a cathode affixed to and covering all of or a substantial portion of the first side;
• an anode affixed to a centrally located region of the second side, wherein the anode includes at least two sub-anodes;
• and
• a metallization affixed to the second side, surrounding the anode with a gap between the anode and the metallization;
• a substrate having at least two bonding pads, one for each of the at least two sub-anodes, wherein each of the at least two bonding pads is physically and electrically coupled to a different one of the at least two sub-anodes;
• processing electronics;
• switching electronics configured to alternatively electrically couple only a single one of the at least two bonding pads to the processing electronics;
• and
• a reconstructor that reconstructs the signal to generate volumetric image data indicative of the examination region.