Computer tomography

The increasing use of whole body computerized tomography in daily radiological routine work has revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of several diseases. The clinical importance of computerized tomography (CT) is discussed on the basis of the first 1000 examined patients. While CT of the head is an already well-established method which surpasses all other diagnostic means as regards reliability and accuracy in the detection of space-occupying lesions, this cannot be stated for other parts of body. But CT already holds a leading position in the diagnostic work up of patients with space- occupying lesions both in the retroperitoneum including pancreas, kidneys and pelvic organs, and in the proof of nodular peripheral lung metastasis and tumours of the mediastinum. Surprisingly, CT shows osteoblastic and osteolytic bone metastasis earlier than any other method, including bone scintigraphy with radio-isotopes. These first results are very encouraging, although any statement about the importance of CT in clinical routine work and comparison with other methods, holds only for a short period of time. Changes in technology, improvement in diagnostic facilities permit no statement for good. (author)