[The influence of breathing technic on the visualization of lung metastases in computed tomography]

The importance of CT imaging in maximum inspiratory position for the identification of lung metastases is emphasised. In a woman patient suffering from respiratory insufficiency and hypernephroma and clinically suspected of lung metastases, it became necessary to produce two computed tomographs of the thorax at short intervals to clarify the number and size of the pulmonary foci. Since the first examination could not be conducted in a position of maximum inspiration because the patient was short of breath, the procedure was repeated six days later after intensive breathing exercises and subjective improvement of the patient's feeling tone. It was found that three of the four pulmonary metastases could not be seen on the technically unsatisfactory tomographs of the first examination, or could be detected only retrospectively.