ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical and imaging features of aortic dissection(AD) with damage in nervous system.Methods The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed in 14 cases of AD with damage in nervous system.Results 13 patients(92.9%) were over age 40.All cases were acute onset and 9 cases had history of hypertensive disease.During onset,the blood pressure was elevated in 9 cases,decreased in 3 cases and could not be measured in 2 cases.The clinical manifestations of patients presented severe pectoralgia in 5 cases,chest-back complaint in 4 cases,bellyache,lumbago with emesia in 2 cases,shock in 2 cases.The appearances of nervous system:circumgyration in 5 cases,conscious disturbance in 4 cases,hemiparalysis in 2 cases,barylalia in one case,paraplegina in 2 cases and hypesthesia in 3 cases(meta-body in 1 case,below T 4 or T6 in 2 cases).The breast and abdominal part CT and CTA of all cases showed clearly the true and false lumens,the position of intimal slit(according Debakeys,2 cases were typeⅠ,7 cases were typeⅡ,5 cases were type Ⅲ) and mural thrombosis.The breast and abdominal part MRI in 8 cases could show conspicuous true and false lumens.The true lumen was presented flow and inane signals but the false lumen was presented higher signals in T1 and T2 WI.Conclusions The clinical manifestations of AD with damage in nervous system are main the ischemic impaired symptoms and signs of brain and spinal cord.Both CT and MRI can show the false lumen and vascular intimal slit of AD.