The invention relates to a device and a method for producing an image of the heart (5), in which the image is preferably three-dimensional and is reconstructed from a series of X-ray projection pictures from various projection directions. In this connection, the electrocardiogram (7) is recorded in parallel with the X-ray pictures and used by a data processing device (10) to control the picture-taking rate, the X-ray pulse duration, the tube current and/or the tube voltage of the X-ray device (1) in such a way that, during the phase to be displayed of maximum movement of the heart, the mean X-ray exposure rate is higher than during the other phases. The data processing device (10) may furthermore use the electrocardiogram to drive an injection pump (8) for the contrast agent in such a way that an approximately constant contrast display of the vessels is produced with minimum contrast-agent injection despite a variable flowrate in the vascular system.