In nearly all areas of technology our generation is experiencing the phenomena of fast paced innovation and great bursts in development. Besides the completely new techniques, the "experienced user" is astonished when obviously good and appar ently matured technology such as the next to last generation of CT equipment undergoes further development, such as is the case with the spiral CT technique. The enormous potential of spiral CT suddenly became apparent, stimulating and giving rise to a wide range of research on its clinical application. Yet again we can see in the field of imaging how great advances in one method competitively affect the range of application in another. Hence it is extremely valuable and necessary to appraise the current situation now. Both physicians - who use the equipment - and the health system and with this the patient - which finances it - have the obligation and the right to permanent optimization of the application strategies of diagnostic procedures. Not least, this symposium also meant to fit the new voice of spiral CT harmo niously into the symphonic score of diagnostic procedures. The large radiodiagno stic department ofthe university clinics which has been established at the Neues All gemeines Krankenhaus in Vienna, Austria, is proud to have jointly arranged this user symposium with Siemens."

The 300th birthday of Empress Maria Theresa provides an opportunity to examine her outstanding interest in the fine arts. At the invitation of the reforming monarch a large number of painters, sculptors and other artists in Austria and abroad found a wealt h of work opportunities. Correspondingly, this era has left its mark on the countries of the former Habsburg monarchy to this day. Maria Theresa pursued an individual approach with regard to cultural policy. She was interested in reform not only in educati on, but also in the field of art. She commissioned contemporary artists and helped portrait painting to a new upswing, leading not least to the international consolidation of the newly formed House of Habsburg - Lorraine. This was the function also fulfilled by the allegorical paintings and ceiling frescoes for which impressive cartoons have survived. Landscape painting was highly esteemed, and finally outstanding masterpieces were produced in sculpture and three - dimensional works, for example by Balthasar Fe rdinand Moll and Franz Xaver Messerschmidt.