CT and MR imaging of the thoracic aorta: current techniques and clinical applications

Servet Tatli; E Kent Yucel; Martin J Lipton

doi:10.1016/j.rcl.2004.03.005

CT and MR imaging of the thoracic aorta: current techniques and clinical applications

Radiol Clin North Am. 2004 May;42(3):565-85, vi. doi: 10.1016/j.rcl.2004.03.005.

Authors

Servet Tatli¹, E Kent Yucel, Martin J Lipton

Affiliation

¹ Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. statli@partners.org

PMID: 15193930
DOI: 10.1016/j.rcl.2004.03.005

Abstract

Disease of the thoracic aorta can present with a broad clinical spectrum of symptoms and signs. The accepted diagnostic gold standard, selective digital subtraction angiography, is now being challenged by state-of-the-art CT angiography (CTA) and MR angiography(MRA). Currently, in many centers, cross-sectional imaging modalities are being used as the first line of diagnosis to evaluate the cardiovascular system, and conventional angiography is reserved for therapeutic intervention. Understanding the principles of CTA and MRA techniques is essential to acquire diagnostic images consistently. This article reviews current CTA and MRA methods used in the evaluation of thoracic aortic disease.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Angiography / methods*
Aorta, Thoracic*
Aortic Diseases / diagnosis*
Aortic Diseases / diagnostic imaging
Contrast Media
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Angiography / methods*
Radiography, Thoracic
Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*

Substances

Contrast Media