During recent years important progress in intensive medicine methods has fundamentally changed the approach to and the management of acute chest trauma, which in developed countries is frequently related to road accidents, the number of which is still rising. It is important for the radiologist to become fully acquainted with the correct inter­ pretation of findings on conventional radiographs as well as on CT. Appropriate and rapid therapeutic action in life-threatening situations will frequently result from the skillful inter­ pretation of radiological findings and from the full integration of the radiologist as a well­ qualified member of the medical and surgical team, responsible for the global management of the chest trauma patient. I am indebted to Prof. P. Schnyder and Dr. M. Wintermark for their excellent work in col­ lecting the case material, which originates mainly from the University Hospital of Lausanne. of all diagnostic They have been able to present a comprehensive and up-to-date overview and interventional radiological aspects related to chest trauma. of great interest to all hospital-based radiologists, I am convinced that this volume will be and also to thoracic surgeons or intensive care physicians dealing with chest trauma patients. It is my sincere wish that this volume meet the same success with clinicians as many other volumes in our series. Leuven ALBERT L. BAERT Preface Diagnostic imaging has experienced astonishing developments during the relatively short period of its existence. We are just entering the second century of the medical use of x-rays.