[CT of the chest and abdomen]

As a complementary and individualised method CT of the pediatric chest and abdomen facilitates or permits correct diagnosis. Evaluation of neoplasms is the most frequent indication and includes precise definition of the site of origin, the extent of disease and of possible metastases. Moreover, monitoring of the treatment and follow-up studies are made much easier. Traumatic lesions of parenchymal organs are easily estimated with high accuracy. However, the relevant contribution provided by the computer-tomographic cross-sectional display has to be carefully weighed against the effort required for and possible adverse reactions induced by the examination, which altogether may be considered as slightly rather than non-invasive, including the genetic risk of radiation.