Interv Akut Kardiol. 2016;15(3):152-154

Commentary on diagnosis of acute aortic dissection - role of D-dimers

Vladimír Svitek, Veronika Jankovičová, Filip Pekar

Oddelenie kardiochirurgie, Stredoslovenský ústav srdcových a cievnych chorôb, a.s., Banská Bystrica, Slovenská republika

Acute aortic dissection represents severe condition with high mortality burden. Early diagnosis is essential to initiate treatment

immediately and affect its otherwise sinister prognosis. Diagnostic process could be, due to various reasons, troublesome. Rural

health-care services usually dispose of limited diagnostic modalities. CT aortic angiography and/or echocardiography is golden

standard in aortic dissection diagnostics. D-dimer test and its role in differential diagnostics of chest pain is less accepted. Examining

physician should utilize all range of, however frequently limited, diagnostic tools. Test results should not be interpreted

without knowledge of limits and pitfalls of each diagnostic method.

Keywords: acute aortic dissection, computed tomography, D-dimers

Published: October 1, 2016  Show citation