Thoracic spine CT, diagnostic efficacy.

In 67 patients the diagnostic efficacy of thoracic spine CT was assessed. Diagnoses suspected clinically or by other examination methods could be confirmed by CT in 81% and excluded in 18% of cases. In one per cent (one case) the diagnosis, myelopathia vascularis, could not be seen by CT nor by myelography. In 49 cases the results of thoracic spine CT and myelography were compared with each other. CT gave additional information to myelography in 27% (13/49), but not in 73% (36/49). In 27% (18/67) of the whole material CT was able to replace myelography. It seems that CT is useless if myelography is normal, but CT may be useful in tumors, infections and medullary diseases. In traumas CT may replace myelography.