diff --git a/docling/backend/msexcel_backend.py b/docling/backend/msexcel_backend.py
index 0ae9083..220c05f 100644
--- a/docling/backend/msexcel_backend.py
+++ b/docling/backend/msexcel_backend.py
@@ -337,10 +337,17 @@ class MsExcelDocumentBackend(DeclarativeDocumentBackend, PaginatedDocumentBacken
         # Collect the data within the bounds
         data = []
         visited_cells: set[tuple[int, int]] = set()
-        for ri in range(start_row, max_row + 1):
-            for rj in range(start_col, max_col + 1):
-                cell = sheet.cell(row=ri + 1, column=rj + 1)  # 1-based indexing
-
+        for ri, row in enumerate(
+            sheet.iter_rows(
+                min_row=start_row + 1,  # start_row is 0-based but iter_rows is 1-based
+                max_row=max_row + 1,
+                min_col=start_col + 1,
+                max_col=max_col + 1,
+                values_only=False,
+            ),
+            start_row,
+        ):
+            for rj, cell in enumerate(row, start_col):
                 # Check if the cell belongs to a merged range
                 row_span = 1
                 col_span = 1
@@ -397,10 +404,16 @@ class MsExcelDocumentBackend(DeclarativeDocumentBackend, PaginatedDocumentBacken
         """
         max_row: int = start_row
 
-        while max_row < sheet.max_row - 1:
-            # Get the cell value or check if it is part of a merged cell
-            cell = sheet.cell(row=max_row + 2, column=start_col + 1)
-
+        for ri, (cell,) in enumerate(
+            sheet.iter_rows(
+                min_row=start_row + 2,
+                max_row=sheet.max_row,
+                min_col=start_col + 1,
+                max_col=start_col + 1,
+                values_only=False,
+            ),
+            start_row + 1,
+        ):
             # Check if the cell is part of a merged range
             merged_range = next(
                 (mr for mr in sheet.merged_cells.ranges if cell.coordinate in mr),
@@ -414,7 +427,7 @@ class MsExcelDocumentBackend(DeclarativeDocumentBackend, PaginatedDocumentBacken
             if merged_range:
                 max_row = max(max_row, merged_range.max_row - 1)
             else:
-                max_row += 1
+                max_row = ri
 
         return max_row
 
@@ -433,10 +446,16 @@ class MsExcelDocumentBackend(DeclarativeDocumentBackend, PaginatedDocumentBacken
         """
         max_col: int = start_col
 
-        while max_col < sheet.max_column - 1:
-            # Get the cell value or check if it is part of a merged cell
-            cell = sheet.cell(row=start_row + 1, column=max_col + 2)
-
+        for rj, (cell,) in enumerate(
+            sheet.iter_cols(
+                min_row=start_row + 1,
+                max_row=start_row + 1,
+                min_col=start_col + 2,
+                max_col=sheet.max_column,
+                values_only=False,
+            ),
+            start_col + 1,
+        ):
             # Check if the cell is part of a merged range
             merged_range = next(
                 (mr for mr in sheet.merged_cells.ranges if cell.coordinate in mr),
@@ -450,7 +469,7 @@ class MsExcelDocumentBackend(DeclarativeDocumentBackend, PaginatedDocumentBacken
             if merged_range:
                 max_col = max(max_col, merged_range.max_col - 1)
             else:
-                max_col += 1
+                max_col = rj
 
         return max_col