1. A method of acquiring image data of a subject with an imaging system, comprising: determining a region of the subject to acquire image data; calling from a memory system a start position of an image detector; calling from the memory system an end position of the image detector; calling from the memory system a predetermined non-symmetrical non-circular path from the start position to the end position, said non-circular path being defined based on an analysis of image acquisition data of a plurality of patients; moving the image detector relative to the determined region of the subject from the start position to the end position along the called path; detecting radiation with the image detector at a selected rate as the image detector moves along the path; and forming a reconstruction of the determined region of the subject based at least in part on the detected radiation that passed through the subject.