[Computer tomography aspects of benign intrathoracic space-occupying lesions]

We examined 55 patients with different, rare, benign intrathoracic lesions. Special computer-tomographic characteristics of the different tumours are demonstrated to help to differentiate from other malignant and benign tumours. In 37 of 55 tumours (67%) typical signs for the benign lesions could be shown. In 25 patients (46%) the preoperative diagnosis proved to be correct. While cystic, calcified and fat containing processes were assessed correctly by computed tomography, solid non calcified mediastinal and intrapulmonary tumours could not be classified as well.