Traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta.
Because the diagnosis of a traumatic rupture of the aorta can be subtle, a high index of clinical suspicion must be maintained to arrive at a prompt and correct diagnosis. When chest radiography shows that the mediastinum is greater than 8 cm in width or that the arch or descending aorta are obscured, direct transfemoral arteriography remains the procedure of choice in hemodynamically stabilized patients. At the present time, computed tomography is not recommended as a definitive diagnostic modality.
Department of Radiology, State University of New York Health Science Center, Brooklyn.
J P
JP
Weiss
M
M
Feld
S J
SJ
Sclafani
T
T
Scalea
E
E
Vieux
S Z
SZ
Trooskin
D000328:Adult; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed