Comparison of conventional and transesophageal echocardiography with magnetic resonance imaging for anatomical mapping of thoracic aortic dissection: a dual noninvasive imaging study with anatomical and/or angiographic validation

Thirty-five consecutive patients with clinically suspected aortic dissection were subjected to a dual noninvasive imaging protocol using comprehensive echocardiography and ECG-triggered MRI with multi-slice spin echo and cine sequences in random order. The purpose of this dual imaging study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of two-dimensional and color-coded Doppler echocardiography using the conventional transthoracic (TTE) and the transesophageal approach (TEE) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the exact morphologic evaluation and anatomical mapping of the thoracic aorta. The results of each diagnostic method were validated independently against the ‘gold standard’ of intraoperative findings (n=17), necropsy (n=4) or contrast angiography (n=22).