Vascular CT Appearances

Aortic Dissection CT Findings

• Double-channel aorta
• In Type A, ascending aorta is involved
• In Type B, ascending aorta is not involved

Other Information About Aortic Dissection

Etiology:

• Hypertension is the most common cause of aortic dissection
• Cardiac diseases
• Congenital heart defects
• Trauma
• Associated with syndromes such as Marfan, Turner, Ehlers-Danlos and Loeys-Dietz

Epidemiology:

• More common in males
• Typically presents after age 50 but can occur at any age

Presentation:

• Sudden chest, back, and/or stomach pain
• Dyspnea
• Loss of consciousness
• Paralysis and/or weak pulse on one side of body

Prognosis:

• Aortic dissection is life-threatening and must be treated immediately with surgery
• About 40% of patients with type A aortic dissection succumb immediately
• The 5-year relative survival rate after treatment is about 70-85%