PATHOLOGIC VARIANTS OF THORACIC AORTIC DISSECTIONS

This article confirms the existence of two variants of acute aortic pathology, the penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer (PAU) and the intramural hematoma (IMH), which are radiologically distinct from classic aortic dissection. Table 4 reviews the characteristics distinguishing PAU from classic aortic dissection and IMH. We took as a matter of definition that classic aortic dissection involves a flap which traverses the aortic lumen. We defined PAU...