A computed tomography system (100) includes a first (1081) and a second source (108N) disposed at different z-axis locations at about a same angular position around an examination region (112) that alternately emit radiation beams (114) that traverse the examination region (112). The first source (1081) emits a first radiation beam (1141) having a first outer projection (204) and the second source (108N) emits a second radiation beam (114N) having a first outer projection (216). Both of the first outer projections (204, 216) traverse plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and the first outer projections (204, 216) define a width of a volume (400) within which the emitted radiation beams (114) are confined. A common detector (124) detects radiation from the x-ray beams (114) that traverses the volume (400) and generates data indicative thereof, and a reconstructor (132) reconstructs the data to generate an image of the volume (400).