CTICasesPulmonary Artery Dissection
Imaging findings
CT pulmonary angiogram in a patient with severe, chronic pulmonary hypertension demonstrates massive aneurysmal dilatation of the main and branch pulmonary arteries. A thin, linear intimal flap is clearly visualized extending across the lumen of the main pulmonary artery trunk, confirming an acute-on-chronic pulmonary artery dissection.
Key takeaways
Pulmonary artery dissection is an extremely rare and highly fatal complication that typically occurs in the setting of severe, long-standing pulmonary arterial hypertension. The chronic high-pressure state and progressive aneurysmal dilatation of the pulmonary trunk lead to wall shear stress and medial degeneration, predisposing to intimal tear and dissection. Prompt recognition of this finding on CT is critical, as it represents a life-threatening cardiovascular emergency that must be distinguished from motion artifacts.
AI-assisted summary — may contain errors. Verify against the source video. Learn more
More from this webinar
- Small Cell Lung CarcinomaNeoplastic
- Blunt Cardiac Injury with Myocardial Shear StrainTrauma
- Vaccine-Associated MyocarditisInflammatory
- Morgagni HerniaCongenital
- Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia in SclerodermaILD
- Unilateral Pulmonary Vein AtresiaCongenital
- Coronary Artery Pseudoaneurysm Post-PCIIatrogenic
- Cystic Fibrosis with Severe Small Airways DiseaseCongenital
See all cases from June 12, 2021 →
Related Vascular cases
- Acute Aortic Pseudoaneurysm
- Superior Vena Cava Syndrome with Vasa Vasorum Collateralization
- Ruptured Post-Operative Aortic Root Pseudoaneurysm
- Ascending Aortic Intimal Tear with Mediastinal Hemorrhage
- Type B Aortic Dissection with Patent False Lumen
- Giant Ascending Aortic Aneurysm and Chronic Type A Dissection