Aortic rupture (a tear in the aorta, which is the major artery
coming from the heart) can be seen on a chest x-ray. In this case,
it was caused by a traumatic perforation of the thoracic aorta.
This is how the x-ray appears when the chest is full of blood
(right-sided hemothorax) seen here as cloudiness on the left side
of the picture.
Review Date: 11/01/2010
Reviewed By: Shabir Bhimji MD, PhD, Specializing in General Surgery,
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Midland, TX. Review provided
by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD,
MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
