What happens to scan data if the acquisition thickness exceeds the pitch?

When the acquisition thickness exceeds the pitch, data will overlap during the scanning process. In computed tomography, the pitch is defined as the distance the patient table moves during one rotation of the CT tube, divided by the width of the x-ray beam or the slice thickness. When the slice thickness is greater than the pitch, it indicates that the adjacent slices will cover the same area of anatomy, resulting in overlapping data.

This overlapping can enhance the detail retrieved from the scanned area as it can help in reconstructing images with a better signal-to-noise ratio. However, managing overlapping data may also complicate post-processing and image reconstruction tasks. As such, understanding the relationship between slice thickness and pitch is crucial for optimizing CT imaging protocols to ensure quality while avoiding issues related to data processing.