Squamous cell carcinoma masquerading as a thoracic intramural aematoma

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is an excellent tool for the diagnos is of thoracic aortic pathology. However, not all lesions of the aortic wal l represent primary pathology of the aorta. This case presents an elderly, hypertensive patient with back pain and crescentic thickening of the aortic wall that proved to represent external aortic infiltration by lung cancer. Invasion, of the aortic wall mimicking intramural hematoma should be consi dered the differential diagnosis of patients with dissection-like symptoms and crescentic aortic lesions.