title: Tortuosity of the descending thoracic aorta simulating dissection on transesophageal echocardiography.
abstract: In an 80-year-old patient with syncope, a markedly tortuous descending thoracic aorta produced images on transesophageal echocardiography which were suggestive of an intimal flap caused by dissection. A magnetic resonance aortogram clearly showed that the trans-esophageal echocardiogram was a false positive. In addition, multiplanar reconstructed images of the magnetic resonance aortogram through the tortuous descending thoracic aorta could reproduce images similar to that seen by transesophageal echocardiography. Because transesophageal echocardiography has become a popular imaging modality for the detection of aortic dissection, it is essential for echocardiographers to be aware of possible pitfalls which may create false positive findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Applebaum
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Earls
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krinsky
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weinreb
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kronzon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging