Widened Mediastinum in Aortic Dissection
Aortic dissection is a type of arterial dissection. It arises as a consequence of bleeding between intimal and medial layers of aorta. Hypertension is the prime risk factor. Other risk factors include connective tissue disorder, atherosclerosis, aortic valve abnormalities, coarctation, and prior cardiothoracic intervention. Aortic dissection can be diagnosed on the basis of history and physical examination. Chest radiograph exhibit characteristic feature that aids in diagnosis. Plain chest radiography demonstrates widening of mediastinum usually at the level of aortic knob. Other important features include: - Irregular contour of aorta - Double aortic contour - Displaced atherosclerotic plaque, mostly bulged inwards Reference: https://radiopaedia.org/articles/aortic-dissection Image via: https://www.statpearls.com/ArticleLibrary/viewarticle/31363