1. A method for filtering a sinogram data set (P) comprised of projection views acquired by a tomographic system, the steps of the method comprising: a) converting the sinogram data set into a map (N) having values that indicate a noise-equivalent number of detected photons, wherein the values in the map are a function of incident photons (N 0 ) and values in the sinogram data set; b) calculating a normally distributed photon count data set (Q) from the values in the map (N) produced in step a); c) filtering values in the normally distributed photon count data set (Q) using a bilateral filter; and d) converting the values in the normally distributed photon count set (Q) filtered in step c) to produce a filtered sinogram data set (Pâ€²) suitable for producing an image using an image reconstruction process.