[Computer tomographic diagnosis of abscesses (author's transl)].

The computer tomographic diagnosis of an abscess must be related to the clinical condition of a patient. In the presence of pyaemia or following an operation, with high fever, tenderness on palpation, leucocytosis and rapid development of the illness, an abscess may be suspected. The computer tomographic findings depend on the stage of the development of the abscess. Early on there is the finding of a cellular tumour with high attenuation values; after a few days, with leucocyte degeneration, there is a significant reduction in the attenuation value to that of serus fluid, or even less. Later, when organisation takes place, the development of connective tissue causes a marked increase in attenuation values which correspond with those of solid tissues. If the abscess becomes encapsulated, or if there is caseation in a tuberculous lesion, a cyst may be imitated with, again, a reduction in attenuation values. The usefulness of contrast examinations is discussed.