title: Missed acute ascending aortic dissection.
abstract: We describe a patient who presented with classic symptoms and signs of acute aortic dissection that escaped detection despite state-of-the-art imaging techniques. We review the pertinent literature concerning the diagnosis of acute dissection of the ascending aorta and describe the types of dissection that might be missed with conventional diagnostic techniques. Repeated efforts should be made to diagnose aortic dissection even though initial studies may be negative in patients with clinical evidence of dissection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Metrohealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44109-1998, USA.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Sherwood
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D001011:Aorta; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D001027:Aortography; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed