EchoBridgeMD Pearl #28: PLAX View for Type A Aortic Dissection
When evaluating for acute Type A aortic dissection with point-of-care echocardiography, the parasternal long-axis (PLAX) view provides the most extensive visualization of the ascending aorta from a single standard TTE window.
The PLAX view can visualize approximately the first 3–5 cm of the ascending aorta, from its proximal to mid-portion, allowing the clinician to examine a relatively long segment for an intimal flap, aortic root or ascending aortic dilation, and other findings that may raise suspicion for dissection.
When Type A aortic dissection is suspected, optimize the PLAX view specifically for the aorta—then carefully interrogate the entire visible segment rather than focusing only on the aortic root.
📖 Goldstein SA, Evangelista A, Abbara S, et al. Multimodality imaging of diseases of the thoracic aorta in adults: from the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging: endorsed by the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography and Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2015.
📖 Alerhand S, Qiu L, Adrian RJ. What Echocardiographic Findings Suggest Acute Type A Aortic Dissection? J Emerg Med. 2025.
🔗 Free subscription — receive future EchoBridgeMD educational content by email:
This is great! Here’s a pearl: you can often hop up one interspace from the standard PLAX window and see even more of the ascending aorta.