CT in Aortic dissection

CT is the initial investigation for aortic dissection as it is more widely available and takes a shorter time when compared to MRI.

MRI, though highly accurate for acute aortic disease evaluation, is usually confined to cases of severe renal insufficiency or when the use of iodinated contrast medium is absolutely contraindicated.

The image below depicts CT chest showing Type A aortic dissection from the aortic root. (A) Axial view and (B) sagittal view. The arrows indicate the intimal flap.

The image below shows the classification systems used for aortic dissection.

 

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