IMAGING OF ACUTE THORACIC AORTIC INJURY DUE TO BLUNT TRAUMA - A REVIEW

Much recent work on the use of computed tomography (CT) and transesoph ageal echocardiography in screening for and facilitating the diagnosis of acute thoracic aortic injury in the patient with blunt chest traum a has shown favorable results. This has led some physicians to questio n whether conventional thoracic aortography is still the reference sta ndard. The purpose of this review article is to summarize the epidemio logy and pathophysiology of acute thoracic aortic injury, the current status of the individual imaging modalities in use, and the surgeon's perspective. Despite a burgeoning literature and confounding array of clinical and imaging advances, timely diagnosis of acute thoracic aort ic injury remains a challenge. To overcome this problem, some trauma c enters have used CT, transesophageal echocardiography, or both, in the ir diagnostic algorithm for acute thoracic aortic injury. These diagno stic algorithms are individually tailored by each institution and are still under investigation; therefore, no definite conclusions can be r eached.