[Confirmation power of computer tomography for suspected mediastinal tumors]

CT investigations of the mediastinum were compared in their diagnostic power with conventional X-ray pictures. With striking mediastinal broadening, CT always allowed to identify the origin of the tumour, its exact location and relationship with neighbouring organs and vessels. Determining its expansion proved valuable for the further therapeutic procedure. Density measurements gave indications as to the type of tumour. Fine-needle puncture permitted to narrow differential diagnostic findings. Finally, CT was used especially with systemic diseases for the search of lymph nodes in case of known tumours such as bronchial and mammary cancer. Also, pathological vascular processes, such as aneurysms, could be well visualized. This allowed to restrict the more stressing investigations, e.g. mediastinoscopy and angiography.