[Combination of color Doppler and transesophageal echocardiography in emergency diagnosis of type I aortic dissections].

We report on the use of colour Doppler- and transesophageal echocardiography in 2 patients with acute type I aortic dissection according to DeBakey. Using transesophageal echocardiography we obtained information on the extension and the entry site of the dissection without interfering with respiration and external thorax configuration. Using colour Doppler we were able to differentiate between the true and false lumen in the thoracic and abdominal aorta due to characteristic phasic flow patterns. In one patient the site of the entry tear of the intimal flap was localized by this method. Furthermore, a noninvasive semiquantitative evaluation of accompanying aortic regurgitation was possible. Colour Doppler gives additional information in the emergency diagnosis of patients with aortic dissection.