What is the gold standard test for aortic dissection?

The gold standard test for diagnosing aortic dissection is aortography, often referred to as aortography or angiography of the aorta. This procedure involves injecting contrast dye into the aorta to visualize its structure and any associated abnormalities through imaging techniques. Aortography provides highly detailed images of the aorta and allows for the direct visualization of tears or dissections.

In cases of suspected aortic dissection, aortography not only confirms the diagnosis by visualizing the true and false lumens but also can evaluate the hemodynamic significance of the dissection and any branch vessel involvement. It is particularly valuable in acute cases where immediate intervention may be required, and the information gained can influence treatment decisions.

While other imaging modalities such as CT with contrast and MRI can also effectively diagnose aortic dissection, especially CT, they are not considered the gold standard. CT is commonly used in practice due to its rapidity and availability, providing excellent detail and accuracy; however, it is inherently less invasive than aortography, which directly visualizes the condition. MRI, while non-invasive and useful in specific situations, is less commonly utilized in acute settings due to longer acquisition times and availability issues.

X-ray, although useful in identifying indirect signs of