Squamous cell carcinoma masquerading as a thoracic intramural hematoma.
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an excellent tool for the diagnosis of thoracic aortic pathology. However, not all lesions of the aortic wall represent primary pathology of the aorta. This case presents an elderly, hypertensive patient with back pain and crescentic thickening of the aortic wall that proved to represent external aortic infiltration by lung cancer. Invasion of the aortic wall mimicking intramural hematoma should be considered the differential diagnosis of patients with dissection-like symptoms and crescentic aortic lesions.
Department of Medicine-Section of Cardiology, The University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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Draznin
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Spencer
D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures