CT AND MRI OF AORTIC DISSECTION

Abstract

Dissection of the aorta nw:-:t often represems a :t clinical catastrophe. sometimes Jit'ficult to be distinguish from myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolisin.'

If the aortic dissection is suspected clinicaJ.Iy. it imponamto establish the diagnosis quickly, exclude othc'r possible diagnosis and determine whether sut:gery h indica ted.

In the past. the chest rae.! iograph was used to demonstrate a widened aortic Shadow that may occur with aortic dissection and now it is us ally used as the initial. examination performed in patient suspected aortic dissection. Although there may be fin.dings suggestive of dissection, they are frequently non specific and •i11ay on I)• be apparent in retrospect, and then appeared the aortography which remained the examination of c;hoice in most centers especially before surgery, however all data that obtained by the aortography and more information can be obtained with less invasive recent methods as

trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE), CT and M.

RI . '