FOLLOW-UP OF THORACIC AORTIC-ANEURYSM - P OTENTIALS AND PROBLEMS

A number of different imaging procedures have an established place in the diagnosis of thoracic dissecting aortic aneurysm. Computed tomogra phy and transesophageal echocardiography are particularly highly regar ded. Opinions differ, however, as to the value of angiography. We foll owed the progress of 15 patients with acute dissecting aneurysms of th e thoracic aorta in order to determine the relative value of various i nvestigation techniques in therapeutic decision-making. The methods us ed for regular follow-up studies were computed tomography, echocardiog raphy, abdominal sonography, transesophageal echocardiography, and ang iography. The results show that biplane transesophageal echocardiograp hy and computed tomography are sufficient to follow the progress of th ese aneurysms.