For the purpose of X-ray CT imaging a heart of a subject with high image
quality while reducing stress on the subject, once an optimal cardiac
phase has been set by an optimal cardiac phase setting section 30b and a
target position in a subject to be scanned when the cardiac phase of the
subject is at an optimal cardiac phase is defined at a target position
defining section 30c, a transport-starting-cardiac-phase calculating
section 30b calculates a transport-starting cardiac phase such that the
target position is scanned at the optimal cardiac phase, using the
optimal cardiac cycle, target position, scan start position, transport
speed of an imaging table, and approach-run time for the imaging table. A
scan control section starts transport at the imaging table 4 when the
cardiac phase of the subject coincides with the transport-starting
cardiac phase, and performs a helical scan with a helical pitch of one or
more, for example.