TY - JOUR
T1 - Transesophageal echocardiography diagnosis of intramural hematoma of the ascending aorta
T2 - A word of caution
AU - Flachskampf, F. A.
AU - Banbury, M.
AU - Smedira, N.
AU - Thomas, J. D.
AU - Garcia, M.
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - The diagnosis of intramural hematoma by echocardiography classically requires the presence of an echolucent, crescentic region in the wall of the aorta. Recently we have encountered 2 patients in whom intramural hematoma was characterized only by thickening of the aortic wall, which was circumferential in one patient, thus making the diagnosis difficult to distinguish from common atherosclerotic thickening of the aorta. In one case, computed tomography showed more clearly the abnormal tissue signature of the intramural blood. In summary, absence of an echolucent zone does not exclude the diagnosis of intramural hematoma. Alternative imaging procedures such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging may enhance the diagnostic accuracy.
AB - The diagnosis of intramural hematoma by echocardiography classically requires the presence of an echolucent, crescentic region in the wall of the aorta. Recently we have encountered 2 patients in whom intramural hematoma was characterized only by thickening of the aortic wall, which was circumferential in one patient, thus making the diagnosis difficult to distinguish from common atherosclerotic thickening of the aorta. In one case, computed tomography showed more clearly the abnormal tissue signature of the intramural blood. In summary, absence of an echolucent zone does not exclude the diagnosis of intramural hematoma. Alternative imaging procedures such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging may enhance the diagnostic accuracy.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0894-7317(99)70194-X
DO - 10.1016/S0894-7317(99)70194-X
M3 - Article
C2 - 10511658
AN - SCOPUS:0032849642
SN - 0894-7317
VL - 12
SP - 866
EP - 870
JO - Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography
JF - Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography
IS - 10
ER -