Ultrafast computed tomography in the diagnosis of diseases of great vessels.
Rapid and accurate detection of great vessel disease is of enormous importance in clinical practice.  The search continues for the best technique to evaluate critically ill patients with acute aortic dissection and/or acute pulmonary embolism.  Because of its speed and excellent spatial resolution, ultrafast computed tomography (CT) is a very useful tool and may alter the management of patients with aortic disease.  Other techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) are also used in the diagnosis of aortic dissection.  Each technique has advantages and pitfalls.  At this time it is likely that one technique will complement the other.  With further technical improvements, both MRI and ultrafast CT are likely to emerge as the diagnostic tests of choice.  In the future, further validation and comparative studies in the acute setting may help to identify the most accurate and useful technique.
Georgiou
D
D
Division of Cardiology, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA 90509.
Bleiweis
M S
MS
Brundage
B H
BH
D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends