The invention relates to a metal jet x-ray tube which is less affected by the problem of the power density at the point of impact of the electron beam on the anode component than conventional tubes. For this purpose the metal jet x-ray tube has a metal jet (6) as anode component (7), which metal jet is so thin that an electron beam (4) impinging on the metal jet (6) is only partially decelerated by the metal jet. Furthermore a blade cathode is provided as a cathode component (3), which blade cathode comprises a cathode blade (10) directed with a slight inclination downwards in the direction of the liquid metal jet (6) of the anode component (7).