[Role of thoracic x-ray computed tomography in the pretherapeutic evaluation of bronchial cancer. A prospective study of 60 patients].

The value of computerized tomography (CT) was compared with that of conventional exploratory methods (standard radiology, bronchial tomography and endoscopy) in 60 patients with non-anaplastic bronchial cancer evaluated preoperatively. After CT examination thoracotomy was avoided in 14 (23%) patients with local or distal extension. CT proved more sensitive than conventional methods in the assessment of pleural and/or parietal extension, and of direct or lymph-node mediastinal invasion (67% vs 33%, 50% vs 33%, 64% vs 45% respectively). Similar results (75%) were obtained in cases with hilar lymph-node involvement. However, caution must be exerted before excluding thoracotomy, since CT may give false-positive results.