[Computer tomography for spinal tumours (author's transl)].

Computer tomography was carried out in 32 patients with 34 spinal tumours, sometimes after intravenous or intra-thecal contrast administration. Using commercial CT scanners, non-invasive methods at present are only able to show tumours with either very low or very high density situated in the vertebral canal, or particularly vascular tumours. The best results are obtained in the cervical region. Non-invasive CT diagnosis can also demonstrate paravertebral tumours, particularly in the chest. This is also true for neoplastic processes arising from the axial skeleton. Invasive procedures such as primary and secondary CT myelography can demonstrate quite small intraspinal space-occupying lesions. Primary CT myelography can be used as an alternative to conventional meylography in suitable cases, secondary CT myelography can provide important additional information.