Abstract
A 41-year-old physically active man with no significant past medical history presented with sudden thoracic pain. The patient was referred to the next tertiary care hospital. A CT scan showed an ectasia of the ascending aorta with irregularities of the aortic wall without dissection. Despite initial refusal, the patient was referred to a university hospital with experience in aortic surgery. A triphase ECG-synchronized cardiothoracic flash protocol performed on a 256 line CT scanner confirmed an aortic intramural hematoma and a covered aortic perforation. Shortly afterwards the patient collapsed and had to be resuscitated.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Aortic Aneurysm / complications*
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Aortic Aneurysm / diagnosis
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Aortic Aneurysm / diagnostic imaging
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Aortic Rupture / complications*
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Aortic Rupture / diagnosis
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Aortic Rupture / diagnostic imaging
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Chest Pain / diagnosis
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Chest Pain / etiology*
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Chest Pain / prevention & control
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Diagnosis, Differential
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Facial Pain / diagnosis
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Facial Pain / etiology*
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Facial Pain / prevention & control
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Heart Neoplasms / complications*
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Heart Neoplasms / diagnosis
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Heart Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
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Hematoma / complications*
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Hematoma / diagnosis
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Hematoma / diagnostic imaging
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Humans
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Male
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Radiography
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Syncope / diagnosis
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Syncope / etiology*
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Syncope / prevention & control