What does continuous rotation of the gantry allow in helical CT?

Continuous rotation of the gantry in helical computed tomography (CT) significantly speeds up the acquisition of images. This technology allows the scanner to capture data in a spiral pattern as the patient moves through the gantry. As a result, images can be taken more quickly than in traditional step-and-shoot CT methods, where the gantry must stop to take each image before moving to the next position. Faster acquisition not only reduces scan time for patients but also minimizes motion artifacts and can enhance the overall quality of the imaging. This increased speed is one of the key advantages of helical or spiral CT techniques, as it leads to improved efficiency in both clinical practice and patient throughput.