An image of an object is reconstructed in a three-dimensional coordinate system
in an x-ray computed tomography system. A partial scan of the object is performed
by rotating an x-ray beam having a cone beam geometry around a portion of the object
or rotating the object in the cone-beam. The x-ray beam forms on a scanning trajectory
through a plurality of projection lines from a plurality of successive focal point
locations. The scanning trajectory may be substantially circular, helical, spiral,
or spiral-like. The x-ray beam, attenuated by the object during the spiral scan,
is detected to produce detector values. The detector values are integrated along
straight lines on the detector plane to obtain intermediate data. Three-dimensional
Radon values representing approximate plane integrals of the object are calculated
from the intermediate data using a Grangeat relationship or a modified or extended
version or the Grangeat relationship. The calculated and estimated Radon values
are then reconstructed into an image volume according to the Radon inversion formula.