Computed Tomography of Thoracic Aortic Dissection

Thoracic Involvement of Type A Aortic Dissection and Intramural Hematoma: Diagnostic Accuracy—Comparison of Emergency Helical CT and Surgical Findings

“…The initial results showed that conventional CT was not perfectly accurate for diagnosing AD because the temporal resolution was insufficient (17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). In an article by Nienaber et al (22), the authors found that conventional CT had a sensitivity of only 82.6% for type A AD.…”

Acute Aortic Syndromes

“…The disadvantages of standard CT are that the intimal tear is seen in Ͻ75% of cases and that the site of entry is rarely identified. 67 Additionally, potentially nephrotoxic iodinated contrast is required, and there is no capability to assess for aortic insufficiency or to evaluate involvement of the coronary arteries.…”

Para-aortic arch abscess secondary to Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia

“…Although reports of the sensitivity and specificity of standard CT for the diagnosis of aortic dissection are excellent (83% to 98% and 87% to 100%, respectively) (5,8,9), the intimal flap is seen in less than 75% of cases and the site of entry is rarely identified (6). MRI is an alternative imaging modality that avoids the risks of contrast and radiation exposure.…”