[Imaging of the thoracic aorta in adults: when, how and why?].
CT, MRI and transesophageal echocardiography have become the standard of reference for evaluation of the thoracic aorta. Angiography is mainly performed as a presurgical procedure. Congenital pathologies observed during adulthood include coarctation, patent ductus arteriosus, and aberrant retroesophageal subclavian arteries. Imaging plays a major role for diagnosis and management of patients with acute aortic syndromes: intramural hematoma, dissection, penetrating ulcer and nondissecting aneurysms. Cross sectional imaging of the thoracic aortic wall allows evaluation of inflammatory diseases of the aorta or aortitis.
Jacquier
A
A
Service d'Imagerie Médicale, CHU la Timone, 254, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille cedex 5. ajacquier@club-internet.fr
Chabbert
V
V
Vidal
V
V
Otal
P
P
Gaubert
J Y
JY
Joffre
F
F
Rousseau
H
H
Bartoli
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000175:diagnosis; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed