Diagnosis of acute dissection of the aorta

: The authors present a group of 14 patients (9 men and 5 women) aged 38-76 years (mean age 59 years) who were hospitalized during the five-year period between 1984 and 1988 at the medical department A of the Regional Institute of National Health in Banska Bystrica on account of acute dissection of the aorta. The authors describe clinical manifestations which can lead to suspicion of this serious disease. They make the readers familiar with their experience with ultrasonic and X-ray examination (in particular aortography and computed tomography). They analyze their contribution to the diagnosis of acute dissection of the aorta.