The chest radiographs (CXRs) of 110 patients with mediastinal Hodgkin's disease (HD) were reviewed to determine the incidence, degree, and significance of mediastinal abnormalities following treatment. Residual mediastinal abnormalities were defined as either minimal or measurable, and occurred in 64% of all patients at the completion of treatment, but were more common in those with bulky mediastinal disease at presentation (40 of 48, 83%). Fifty-one patients with a mediastinal abnormality at the end of treatment had follow-up films available. Partial or complete regression of the abnormality occurred by 1 year in 30 of these patients (59%). Over a median follow-up of 80.5 months, there were more relapses (13 of 70, 19%) in patients with residual abnormalities following treatment than in those where the mediastinum was considered normal (four of 40, 10%). Measurable abnormality was associated with a higher relapse rate (six of 25, 24%) than minimal abnormality (seven of 45, 16%), but none of these differences were statistically significant. the subsequent relapse rate for patients with persisting abnormality at 1 year was 14%, compared with 17% for patients in whom regression had occurred and 14% in whom the mediastinum had always been considered normal. Considering the whole group, the presence of a mediastinal abnormality following treatment did not predict for relapse, but for the 34 patients treated by chemotherapy (CTR) alone, a residual abnormality was associated with a significantly higher relapse rate (P = .029). We conclude that following mediastinal radiotherapy (XRT) administered either alone or combined with CTR, residual mediastinal abnormalities do not indicate the need for further treatment. However, following CTR alone, such abnormalities may signify persisting disease and we recommend that XRT be considered for these patients.

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An analysis has been made of the symptomatic response and survival of 143 patients following radiotherapy for locally recurrent rectal cancer. Computerized tomography (CAT) was performed on 45 patients. Of 119 evaluable patients, 54 had a good response to radiotherapy, 29 a moderate response and 36 no apparent response. Median response was 9 and 3 months respectively in the good and moderate groups. Median survival was 15, 9 and 5 months for the three groups. Latent interval between surgery and radiotherapy appeared to be of prognostic importance. When this exceeded 2 yr median survival was 12 months compared with 7 months for patients with a latent interval of less than 2 yr. Tumour volume measured by computed tomography may have prognostic importance. Radiotherapy should be considered for most patients with symptomatic recurrence. Surgery might be combined with radiotherapy for selected groups of patients with good prognosis.

121 CT scans were obtained in 75 women with ovarian cancer, including 108 scans of the abdomen and pelvis and 13 of the pelvis alone. 70 patients had epithelial carcinoma. In 48 cases, pelvic CT was performed within 3 weeks after surgery, confirming the operative findings in all but 6. In the abdomen, CT identified intrahepatic deposits and minimal ascites not seen at surgery; however, small peritoneal deposits not usually shown by CT were readily found at surgery. CT was superior to clinical examination, detecting unsuspected disease and delineating areas of known disease more accurately. It was also helpful in assessing suitability for repeat laparotomy. In 7 cases, CT demonstrated an operable lesion which had been thought to be inoperable. In 65 cases (59%), CT contributed additional information which was helpful in management, proving it to be an important noninvasive investigation in patients with ovarian carcinoma.