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Unsuspected aortic dissection: the chronic "healed" dissection
AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology
|February 1, 1979
Insights
Chronic aortic dissections, a rare condition, often present subtly with cardiac failure rather than pain. These dissections can mimic atherosclerotic aneurysms on imaging, leading to incidental discovery during angiography.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Vascular Surgery
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Chronic aortic dissections represent 10% of all aortic dissection cases.
- These dissections typically originate distal to the left subclavian artery.
- They are characterized by reentry points into the true lumen.
Observation:
- Patients with chronic dissections may experience minimal or absent pain.
- Cardiac failure is a common presenting symptom.
- Radiographically, chronic dissections can resemble atherosclerotic aneurysms on chest films.
Findings:
- Four cases of chronic aortic dissections were incidentally discovered during angiography.
- The study highlights the varied presentation of chronic aortic dissections.
- Diagnostic imaging plays a crucial role in identifying these subtle conditions.
Implications:
- Increased awareness of chronic aortic dissections is needed among clinicians.
- Angiography can reveal these conditions when they present atypically.
- Further research into the long-term management of chronic aortic dissections is warranted.
Abstract:
Of all aortic dissections, 10% are chronic. Typically they arise distal to the left subclavian artery and have reentry points into the true lumen. Pain may be minimal or absent and patients often present with cardiac failure. Chronic dissections are more likely to appear radiographically as atherosclerotic aneurysms on a chest film than are acute dissections. Four cases of chronic dissections found incidentally during angiography are presented.