[Virtual endoscopy].

After a brief definition of Virtual Endoscopy (VE), the authors, by a personal experience and literature analysis, present the results of this new method in several applications: tracheo-bronchial tree, vessels, colon, bladder, central nervous system; patients were referred by standard endoscopy, advantages and limits were studied. We underline the atraumatic feature of VE and superiority of fibroscopy. Terminology is assessed. To compare two methods, one recent, is not actually specially justified. "VE" development is an undeniably interesting challenge for standard endoscopy. Is is absolutely conceivable that in the next future, an important number of purely diagnostic exams will be carried on by virtual technics (J. F Rey).