Title: What is the sensitivity of a CXR for aortic dissection?

Category: Vascular

Keywords: aortic dissection, chest xray (PubMed Search)

Posted: 9/23/2008 by Rob Rogers, MD (Updated: 3/4/2026)

So, how good is a screening CXR for aortic dissection?

Classic CXR finding is a wide mediastinum
Pooled literature shows that the overall sensitivity of a CXR is about 67-70% for aortic dissection (even if upright, or PA and Lateral)
Most authorities agree that a screening CXR alone is not sufficient to r/o aortic dissection

vonKodolitsch, 2005