Acute dissection of the aorta: which test?
With the recent advent of computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging, the clinician is now faced with a variety of tests for the investigation of suspected acute aortic dissection. Forty-two patients were referred to the Department of Radiology over a 4.5-year period for the investigation of suspected dissection; 20 were diagnosed as having the condition. From the results of the evolving experience, it is believed that all patients suspected of having this disease should be studied with a three level dynamic CT in the first instance because the presence or absence of dissection and the type of dissection (type A or type B) can be determined with confidence.
University of Melbourne, Department of Radiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria.
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Walters
K R
KR
Thomson
D000208:Acute Disease; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001027:Aortography; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed