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Author Spotlight: Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Comprehensive Evaluation of the Abdominal Aorta
Published on: September 8, 2023
Point-of-care Ultrasound Diagnosis of Type B Aortic Dissection on the Suprasternal Notch View
Richard N Wang1, Michelle Escobar1, Shamicka North2
1Emergency Medicine, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, USA.
Insights
Diagnosing type B aortic dissection (AD) in the emergency department is challenging. This case report highlights the successful use of cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) via the suprasternal notch view for rapid diagnosis of type B AD.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Diagnostic Ultrasound
Background:
- Aortic dissection (AD) presents a diagnostic challenge in emergency settings.
- Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a valuable tool for evaluating chest pain.
- Stanford type A AD is often diagnosed using POCUS, but type B AD diagnosis via this method is rare.
Abstract:
Aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening but uncommon and challenging diagnosis to make in the emergency department. Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is often used to evaluate patients with chest pain and may be used to rapidly diagnose Stanford type A AD on the suprasternal notch view if there is the visualization of a dissection flap. In contrast, a diagnosis of type B AD on the suprasternal notch view is rare and has only been reported in one previous case report. We report the case of a patient who presented with chest pain and was accurately diagnosed with type B AD using the suprasternal notch view.
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