Oblique projections in aortography following blunt thoracic trauma

We report a patient with innominate artery false-aneurysm formation following blunt trauma to the thorax. Aortography in the standard anteroposterior and left anterior oblique (LAO) projections failed to delineate the injury. Its true extent was only demonstrable in the right anterior oblique (RAO) projection. When the clinical history and a chest radiograph suggest a high likelihood of injury to the aorta or great vessels, routine aortography may need to be performed in both the LAO and RAO projections.