Comparison of diagnostic and therapeutic value of transesophageal echocardiography, intravascular ultrasonic imaging, and intraluminal phased-array imaging in aortic dissection with tear in the descending thoracic aorta (type B).

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and conventional intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) have limited capabilities in type B aortic dissection. To evaluate its diagnostic value, intraluminal phased-array imaging (IPAI) was compared with IVUS and TEE. In 23 patients with type B aortic dissection, IPAI was tested with respect to its ability to depict true lumen (TL) and false lumen (FL), to localize which abdominal arteries originate from the TL and FL, and to identify all entries and reentries. After the completion of TEE, 2 additional examiners performed angiography and positioned an AcuNav catheter inside the TL. An IVUS catheter was then introduced into the TL by a fourth examiner. All examiners were blinded to one another. Four additional patients with type B aortic dissection developed peripheral malperfusion due to TL collapse. Transvenous IPAI was used to guide emergency fenestration of the intimal flap. TL and FL could be equally well identified by all diagnostic methods. IPAI detected more entries than IVUS (3.0 +/- 1.2 vs 0.8 +/- 0.5, p <0.001), and thoracic IPAI depicted more entries than TEE (1.8 +/- 1.0 vs 1.2 +/- 0.5, p <0.001). IPAI and IVUS showed >90% of the abdominal side branches. In all patients with peripheral malperfusion, successful emergency intimal flap fenestration was safely guided by IPAI. In conclusion, in the detailed diagnostic evaluation of type B aortic dissection, IPAI is superior to IVUS and TEE in detecting communications between the TL and FL. IPAI is also highly useful as a guiding tool for emergency intimal flap fenestration.