Emergency chest radiology: thoracic aortic disease and pulmonary embolism

Both acute thoracic aortic disease and pulmonary embolism carry high mortality rates and imaging is central to the diagnosis of both.Acute dissection, intramural haematoma (IMH) and penetrating artheromatous ulcers (PAU) comprise the “acute aortic syndrome”.Aortic dissections of Stanford type A disease are generally treated surgically.Stanford type B disease is initially treated with aggressive medical therapy.The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) comprises a significant proportion of work in a radiology department. The chest radiograph remains the first line investigation, with CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) now the “gold standard” of investigation.Correct utilization of the D-dimer assay is essential in thromboembolic disease. Both acute thoracic aortic disease and pulmonary embolism carry high mortality rates. Imaging is central to the diagnosis of both. Acute dissection, intramural haematoma (IMH) and penetrating artheromatous ulcers (PAU) comprise the “acute aortic syndrome”, where each can arise...