A photon counting computed tomography (CT) method including, but not limited to, receiving a first forward model including a set of first parameters and a set of second parameters corresponding to a plurality of materials and path lengths by scanning a slab at plural tube voltages and plural tube currents of an X-ray tube; evaluating an image quality of a material decomposition image reconstructed by the set of first parameters and the set of second parameters; and updating at least one second parameters from the set of second parameters if the image quality of the material decomposition image does not satisfy a predetermined threshold, wherein the update of the at least one second parameter from the set of second parameters is achieved by updating the at least one second parameter from the set of second parameters to an energy dependent parameter from a constant value. Processing circuitry that is part of a photon counting computed tomography (CT) can implement the method.