Aortic Dissection

Critical, Deadly and Dangerous Radiology Diagnoses

The most important, critical, deadly and dangerous radiology diagnoses are, inter alia (and roughly from top to bottom):

Head

Skull (including orbital) fracture, meningitis, intracranial bleeding (epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage), space occupying lesions (abscesses, tumors), traumatic brain injury, brain herniation, hydrocephalus, ischemic stroke, endophthalmitis, rhinocerebral mucormycosis, malignant external otitis

Neck and cervical spine

Carotid artery dissection or stenosis, cervical spine fractures (Jefferson, Hangman’s, burst), atlantoaxial subluxation epiglottitis, retropharyngeal and peritonsillar abscesses

Chest and thoracic spine

Thoracic aortic aneurism, dissection or rupture; tension pneumothorax, hemothorax, esophageal perforation, pulmonary embolism, complications of endotracheal intubation (right main stem bronchus intubation, bronchus intermedius intubation, pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, subcutaneous emphysema, hypopharyngeal intubation, esophageal intubations, cuff overinflation), echocardiography (wall motion abnormalities, cardiac tamponade, valvular rupture), pneumonia, lung carcinoma, lymphoma, diaphragmatic rupture, flail chest.

 

Aortic Dissection
Aortic dissection: a 3D volume rendered CT of the aorta in a 72-year-old male who presented with excruciating epigastric pain.

Abdomen and lumbar spine

Extraluminal gas (including pneumoperitoneum, pneumoretroperitoneum, pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumobilia), hemoperitoneum, necrotic bowel, abdominal aortic aneurism, acute cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, pancreatitis, bowel obstruction, acute mesenteric ischemia, appendicitis, diverticulitis, intussusception, toxic megacolon, retroperitoneal hematoma, discitis/osteomyelitis, spinal epidural abscess, spinal chord compression, hydronephrosis, nephrolithiasis, ovarian torsion, ectopic pregnancy, testicular torsion

Extremities

Fournier’s gangrene, necrotizing fasciitis, osteomyelitis.

References


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