The advent of spiral CT has brought about a major breakthrough in abdominal imaging. This volume, written by US and European experts in the field, is designed to provide detailed information on all pertinent aspects of the technique. Introductory chapters examine image acquisition and processing, but the main focus is on clinical applications. The key pathologies of each abdominal organ system in which spiral CT has resulted in a major diagnostic improvement are discussed in depth and richly illustrated. Attention is paid to the choice of the parameters for imaging and automated contrast material injection, tailored to each specific organ and to the most common clinical conditions. The advantages and drawbacks of spiral CT are carefully appraised relative to other imaging modalities, particularly Doppler sonography and MRI. The concluding chapters are devoted to topics such as abdominal trauma, spiral CT in children, and CT-guided interventional procedures.