Abstract: The process of the invention for producing highly porous shaped sintered parts comprises the foaming of thermoplastically flowable molding compositions in the temperature range 80-130° C. An important feature of the process is the use of expandable polystyrene as blowing agent, and also of binder components matched thereto. During foaming, intrinsically closed, cell-like polystyrene foam particles are formed, which allows the manufacture of mechanically strong shaped sintered bodies having a proportion of pores of up to 85% by volume combined with high homogeneity of the pore diameter. The process is employed for the manufacture of open- or closed-porosity shaped sintered ceramic and/or metallic bodies.