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The diagnostic ranking and importance of computerised tomography was examined in 116 patients with abnormal findings in the mediastinal region, and was compared with conventional, non-invasive x-ray examinations. This method also yielded significant CT-specific additional information in the anterior mediastinum in 74.4% of the cases, in the mesomediastinum in 69.1%, in the posterior mediastinum in 79.2% in the upper thoracic aperture in 94.4% and in the paracardial region in 100% of the cases. The hilar region is an exception; in 68.8% of the cases, both methods were rated equal, whereas in 28.1% of the cases assessment via the CT method was even inferior. The specific additional information furnished by the CT method justifies a wider application of CT in solving the following problems concerning the mediastinum. -- clarification of a suspected but not yet established space-occupying growth in the mediastinum, before using invasive diagnostic methods such as mediastinoscopy and angiography; -- staging of an already identified primary mediastinal tumor of malignant lymphoma; -- in case of suspected changes in the large mediastinal vessels before employing angiography; -- on-target in the following diseases: bronchogenic carcinoma (because of improved pretherapeutic staging according to the TNM system), myasthenia gravis and identification of thymoma, hyperparathyroidism with suspected dystopic parathyroid glands.

The characteristics of the DS-1000, a new digital imaging equipment, using an image-intensifier-video-system are described. The digital images are displayed on a monitor with 1024 x 1024 matrix, are stored on a hard disc and can be postprocessed with regard to gray-scale-level and recognition of details. The spatial resolution ist 1,1 Lp/mm, using the 47-cm-image-intensifier. The DS 1000 was employed for chest-examinations. The diagnostic accuracy of 70 selected cases with a great variety of pathologic conditions was verified in comparison to conventional chest films. There was no significant difference in the recognition of normal anatomic structures between the two imaging systems. Pathologic states with low contrast to the surrounding structures (mediastinal and hilar masses, airspace disease, pulmonary nodules) were displayed at least equivalent with the digital technique. The accuracy in recognizing pathologic states with the digital equipment as compared to the conventional technique was inferior for conditions requiring high spatial resolution (subtle interstitial infiltrations, septal lines, scars, subtle calcifications).

A pericardial constriction with calcification and a pulsating cyst is an unusual outcome after a pericardial windowing. The application of cardiac computed tomography evaluating the morphological parameters of the heart chambers and the adjacent vessels is an appropriate noninvasive method in the diagnostics of pericardial constriction.

The term "Digital Radiography" covers all x-ray techniques which produce a projected image with the help of digital imaging techniques, which are very similar to a conventional x-ray film image. The advantage of "Digital Radiography" is the possibility of digital image processing, like the subtraction technique, the selective material filtering technique and the quantitative image plotting technique. With the equipments now in use, the digital projected image is produced by the line or on an even level. One example of the in-line projected image is the so-called "topogram", produced via computed tomography equipment. With the help of an x-ray video chain, it is possible to produce digital images on an even level. This technique is used, for example, for "digital video subtraction angiography" (DVSA). Today, digital radiography is clinically used only in the "DVSA" and the "topogram" systems. A survey of the clinical use and the improved future possibilities of digital radiography is given, and the special features of the method are discussed.

In 47 patients the authors calculated the volume at the end of a diastole according to both the cardiac catheter ventriculogram and the CT ventriculogram, comparing the results obtained with each of these methods. A linear regression was found. The correlation coefficient was approximately r = 0,96; n = 47. Cardiological examination revealed that of the examined patients (including the cardiac catheter finding) 18 patients had coronary heart disease, whereas 9 had cardiomyopathy, 6 arterial hypertension, 9 had various cardiac abnormalities and 5 did not show any organically manifest heart disease. The article discusses CT determination of the volume at the end of the ventricular diastole, and discusses the results.