In a method, control unit and system to acquire an image of a patient, possibly undergoing an examination according to a current examination plan with an imaging device, a vital function of the patient is monitored via a monitoring unit, and the overrun of a limit value by the monitored vital function is communicated to a determination unit by the monitoring unit, using the vital function, the determination unit selects a new examination plan that is suitable to detect a possible cause of the overrun of the vital function. An image of the patient is then acquired with the imaging device according to the new examination plan.
