Fig. 1

Aortic wall morphology in dissected ascending aorta. (A) Moderately expanded atherosclerotic intima (*). Aortic wall dissection in the outer third of the media layer (o). The adventitia is reactively thickened as reaction to media dissection (Δ). Verhoeff-Van Gieson, 100 x magnification. Haematoxylin-eosin, 100 x magnification (insert). (B) Mild atherosclerosis in the ascending aorta. Due to dissection in this aortic sample, only two thirds of the media are present in the section. Verhoeff-Van Gieson, 100 x magnification. (C) Detail of the media layer with thinned elastic fibers and focal disruption and loss of elastic fibers (arrow). Verhoeff-Van Gieson, 200 x magnification. (D) Severe loss and fragmentation of elastic fibers (arrows) Verhoeff-Van Gieson, 200 x magnification