THE PURPOSE of this communication is to provide a preliminary evaluation of the diagnostic potential of computerized tomography (CT) of the thorax based on a review of approximately 300 examinations.
Evens1 has stated that CT of the body will probably have less diagnostic impact than has CT of the head. While this opinion may ultimately prove to be correct, it seems that a technique that can demonstrate visceral anatomy so well is certain to be of great value. Our experience with CT of the thorax leads us to be enthusiastic about the diagnostic potential of this modality.
Respiratory and cardiac motion are often cited as factors that seriously compromise the quality of CT of the thorax, since they necessarily degrade the image, particularly when longer scan times are used.2 While this point is incontestable, it has seemed to us that these factors are less limiting than might be anticipated.