Systems and methods using an image produced by a constrained image reconstruction process as a constraint in a forward iterative reconstruction process are described. One example system may include a constrained reconstruction logic to receive an initial data having an initial format and to produce an image data. The example system may include an iterative reconstruction logic that uses the image data as a constraint in a forward iterative step and that computes a correction factor based on comparing the image data to a reference data. The example system may include a deconstruction logic to deconstruct the image data into a deconstructed image data having the initial format and to selectively update the deconstructed image data based, at least in part, on the correction factor.