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The definition of pitch in computed tomography specifically pertains to the relationship between the movement of the CT scan table and the width of the x-ray beam during a rotational scan. It is calculated by taking the distance the scan table travels in one complete rotation of the x-ray tube and dividing it by the width of the x-ray beam collimation. This measurement is critical because it influences image quality, resolution, and scan time. A higher pitch indicates that the table moves further for each rotation relative to the beam width, affecting the amount of data collected during the scan and, subsequently, the density of the images.

In contrast, the rotation speed of the x-ray tube, the thickness of the CT slices produced, and the rate of data acquisition during a scan are related concepts but do not define pitch. These factors are important for understanding CT imaging but they do not capture the specific relationship that the pitch measurement embodies.