Computed tomography is one of the indispensable diagnostic methods in the treatment of many surgical patients. On the other hand, the high cost of equipment and effort and the expensive examination must be taken into account. For the purposes of a patient-outcome study all CT examinations of surgical patients performed in March to May 1993 were analysed under medical and economic aspects. 49% of the 210 examinations (153 patients) were primary examinations, 51% served as control examinations. In 61% the diagnosis was already known, but additional information with decisive influence on the further treatment was obtained. In 17% the supposed diagnosis could be verified and in 22% it was rejected. In 170 examinations (81%) the necessity of an operation was the question. 53% of all CT examinations revealed that indication for an operation was absent, and in 28% an operative intervention was performed. The CT examination of surgical patients cannot be substituted by lower-cost methods. The use of an efficient planning of the therapeutic procedures, shortcutting of many other diagnostic examinations, and the avoidance of unnecessary surgical interventions result in shortening the duration of treatment and are instrumental in reducing the total treatment cost.