1. A diagnostic imaging system comprising: a means or supporting a subject; a means for translating the supporting means through an examination region; an x-ray source; a means for rotating the x-ray source around the examination region; a means for controlling the x-ray source to pulse the x-ray source at a selected angular location around the subject to transmit radiation through the subject as the subject is translated through the examination region; a means for detecting transmitted radiation, which has passed through the subject; and a means for reconstructing a pilot scan of the subject from the radiation detected when the x-ray source was pulsed at the selected angular location as the subject was translated through the examination region.