Intimal Tears in Thoracic Aortic Dissection: Appearance on MDCT With Virtual Angioscopy

AJR:198, April 2012

Pierre D. Maldjian, Luke Partyka

OBJECTIVE. The location, number, size, and configuration of intimal tears in aortic dis­section have important therapeutic and prognostic implications. Planning of procedures to treat complications of aortic dissection may require precise delineation of the intimal tears. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the ability of MDCT using multiplanar image re­formatting and virtual angioscopy to depict the location and appearance of intimal tears and fenestrations within dissection flaps in cases of thoracic aortic dissection.

CONCLUSION. MDCT with virtual angioscopy can depict the configuration of intimal tears in cases of thoracic aortic dissection, which may facilitate therapeutic planning.