CTA of the chest demonstrates an aortic dissection extending from the aortic valve, around the arch and down into the abdomen. Involvement of the ascending aorta constitutes a DeBakey type 1 or Stanford A, and places the patient at risk of rupture into proximally leading to either cardiac tamponade or catastrophic aortic regurgitation 1.
Approximately 60% of dissections involve the ascending aorta (Stanford A / DeBakey I and II) 2.