Abstract
Aortic intramural hematoma frequently appear in elderly hypertensive patients who suffered a vasa vasorum rupture into the media, presenting clinical symptoms similar to aortic dissection. The current available data suggest a similar treatment strategy as in aortic dissection, although intramural hematoma is a different pathophysiological entity. The issue of the vulnerable contact of the intraaortic plaque, which is prone to rupture and to trigger the formation of an intramural hematoma, has not been elucidated so far. We present a brief literature review regarding complex plaque analysis, which opens a new area in identification of vulnerable patients with intramural hematoma, important for management of these patients and optimization of their treatment in order to avoid complications.