The Role of Multi-Slice Computed Tomography Angiography in Evaluation of Aortic Artery Diseases

Background: Aortic diseases represent a significant reason of death and morbidity, requiring prompt diagnosis for appropriate management. Multi-slice computed tomography angiography (MSCTA) has emerged as a valuable noninvasive tool offering high spatial resolution and rapid image acquisition for comprehensive aortic evaluation.
Aim: To assess the role of MSCTA in diagnosing and differentiating various aortic artery diseases.
Patients and Methods: This research involved 100 cases clinically suspected of having aortic diseases, referred from the Vascular Surgery Department of Al-Ahrar Teaching Hospital for MSCT aortic examination. All patients underwent detailed CT angiographic evaluation with comprehensive documentation of aortic involvement, lesion characteristics, and associated findings.
Results: The ascending aorta was most frequently involved (42%), followed by abdominal aorta (36%), thoracic aorta (25%), and aortic arch (19%). Median diameters were 54 mm (ascending), 36 mm (arch), 33 mm (thoracic), and 42 mm (abdominal aorta). Aortic aneurysm was detected in 55% of patients, predominantly in the ascending aorta (50.9%). Dissection was observed in 34.8% of cases, classified as Stanford type A (47.8%), type B (17.4%), and type A+B (34.8%). Post-contrast findings revealed wall thickening (65%), mural plaques (71%), and stenotic lesions (19%). The most frequent diagnosis was uncomplicated thoracic aneurysm (20%). Less common findings included non-traumatic dissection (9%).
Conclusion: MSCTA is a highly reliable noninvasive imaging modality for evaluating aortic diseases, enabling accurate diagnosis, detailed anatomical assessment, and precise differentiation between various pathologies, thus guiding optimal clinical management.