[Pseudoaneurysm of the thoracic aorta diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography]

Transesophageal echocardiography is a sensitive and specific procedure that gives one of the best opportunities to examine thoracic aortic anatomy and blood flow. The non-traumatic disruption of the aorta is a life threatening injury that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment. Two cases are presented which were shown to have pseudoaneurysm of the thoracic aorta by noninvasive methods. The etiologic factor was atherosclerotic vascular disease in both cases. We performed transesophageal echocardiography first and confirmed the diagnosis by gated magnetic resonance imaging and by autopsy. These cases highlight the value of techniques such as these to reliably asses the heart and great vessels without the need of more invasive procedures.