The many faces of aortic dissections: Beware of unusual presentations.
Aortic dissection is gaining recognition in Western societies, and it is being diagnosed with increasing frequency. New diagnostic imaging modalities, longer life expectancy, as well as the increase in the number patients suffering from hypertension have all contributed to the growing awareness of aortic dissection. Nevertheless, as many as 30% of patients ultimately diagnosed with acute dissection are first thought to be suffering from something else. The increased availability and use of multidetector computed tomography has led to the incidental discovery of aortic dissection in very different settings. This article focuses on unusual presentations of painless aortic dissection. It is important for radiologists to remember that aortic dissections may present in different ways, not only as an acute, critical fatality but also with subtle, unusual signs and symptoms, which apparently do not seem to be strictly related to aortic diseases.
Scaglione
Mariano
M
Emergency and Trauma CT Section, Department of Radiology, Cardarelli Hospital, Via G. Merliani 31, 80127 Napoli, Italy. mscaglione@tiscali.it
Salvolini
Luca
L
Casciani
Emanuele
E
Giovagnoni
Andrea
A
Mazzei
Maria Antonietta
MA
Volterrani
Luca
L
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*