A method of reducing the x-ray dose of a patient in an x-ray system includes defining a region of interest of the patient, obtaining at least two tracking images of a tracking element taken with at least one camera having a known positional relationship relative to an x-ray source and/or sensor, determining any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of at least two tracking images, adjusting the collimator of the x-ray source to compensate for any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of the at least two tracking images, providing that the field of exposure of the x-ray source is confined to the region of interest and obtaining at least one x-ray image of the region of interest after the adjustment of the collimator.
