A method is disclosed for selecting a radiation form, to change spatial distribution of the intensity and/or the spectrum of x-ray radiation of an x-ray source of an imaging system including a plurality of radiation form filters. The method includes acquiring a plurality of radiation absorption profiles of an examination object, of which image data is to be generated with the aid of the imaging system, in parallel with the patient axis from various directions calculating an effective radiation absorption profile by averaging the recorded radiation absorption profiles and selecting the radiation form filter on the basis of the effective radiation absorption profile of the examination object from a plurality of radiation form filters. An x-ray imaging system is further disclosed.
