Emergency diagnosis of acute aortic dissection using magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND In our study, we aimed to demonstrate the utility of MR imaging in the emergency diagnosis of acute aortic dissection. METHODS Herein, 15 patients who were clinically suspected as having aortic dissection were assessed with both magnetic resonance imaging and 3D contrast enhanced MR angiography by means of a 1.5 tesla magnet. RESULTS Eleven patients were diagnosed as having aortic dissection by means of MRI. We were able to show the intimal flap in all of the aortic dissection patients and we also determined whether the dissection type was A or B. Although the dissections in three patients were found to be in proximal location (type A), eight patients showed a distally located (type B) dissection. All patients were subjected to angiography and 3 patients were operated. Our results were compared with the results of the angiography and operation, which were regarded as the gold standards. CONCLUSION Consequently, we can state that MR imaging may be used as an initial diagnostic modality for the patients with aortic dissection and this method can also serve as an useful method in the long term follow-up of these patients. It is a non-invasive and sensitive modality that is easy to perform and can be applied instead of other diagnostic modalities such as conventional angiography.