Transition from classic aortic dissection to aortic intramural hemorrhage--a case report.

A 64-year-old man was hospitalized with chief complaints of chest and back pain. A diagnosis of Stanford type A aortic dissection with a false lumen extending from the ascending to the descending aorta was made based on the results of computed tomography (CT). A CT obtained the following day showed resolution of the false lumen and increased brightness of the aortic wall, typical of aortic dissection with intramural hemorrhage. Although previous studies have described a gradual transition from aortic intramural hemorrhage to aortic dissection with a false lumen, there are no reports of the transition from an aortic dissection with a false lumen to the intramural hemorrhage type of aortic dissection. This patient is of interest when considering the pathogenesis of aortic dissection with intramural hemorrhage and the relationship between the intramural hemorrhage and false-lumen types of aortic dissection.