Aortic Tumors

Increasing use of cross-sectional studies has resulted in a concomitant increase in the number of intravascular and perivascular masses found in patients being studied for a multitude of thoracic conditions. As a consequence, there needs to be an awareness of the imaging findings of certain unusual abnormalities that will help prevent erroneous treatment (eg, anticoagulation) and expedite proper therapy. Although the spectrum of conditions that may present as intravascular, mural, and extravascular abnormalities in and around the aorta is broad, imaging features like contrast enhancement, signal intensity, and metabolic activity may help in making the correct diagnosis. Examples of the imaging presentation of these rare primary tumors and more common secondary tumors that may affect the aorta are presented in this article.