[Computerized tomography and its significance in preoperative abdominal diagnosis]

Computerized tomography (CT) has considerably improved preoperative radiological diagnosis. Localization and extension of pathological findings are determined reliably with CT. Measurements of density in regions of interest enable a differential diagnosis. Moreover the questions about the advisability of surgery and the likehood of cure or palliation can be better answered by CT than by any other noninvasive procedure. With the use of CT in the abdominal region increasing indications for conventional radiological methods have decreased considerably. In this paper, some examples are given of CT diagnoses of the liver, the pancreas, the kidneys, and the retroperitoneal space. As the techniques involved are improved, computerized tomography is certain to replace conventional diagnosis methods.