Aortic Dissentions
A tear in the wall of the aorta; a life-threatening medical emergency that causes blood to flow between the layers of the wall of the aorta and forces the layers apart.

Coronary Artery Disease
Also called CAD, coronary artery disease is characterized by the accumulation of fatty deposits along the innermost layer of the coronary arteries. The fatty deposits may develop in childhood and continue to thicken and enlarge throughout the life span. This thickening, called atherosclerosis, narrows the arteries and can decrease or block the flow of blood to the heart.

Diseases of the Thoracic Aorta

Aortic Aneurysms
An abnormal expansion, or bulging out, in the aorta, which is the major blood vessel that feeds blood to the body. An aneurysm may be small and not cause any symptoms.

Emphysema
A chronic lung condition in which alveoli, or air sacs, may be destroyed, narrowed, collapsed, stretched or over-inflated.

Lung Cancer
Primary lung cancer is cancer that usually starts in the lining of the bronchi, but can also begin in other areas of the respiratory system, including the trachea, bronchioles, or alveoli. Lung cancers are believed to develop over a period of many years. Nearly all lung cancers are carcinomas, a cancer that begins in the lining or covering tissues of an organ.

Tumors of the Chest Wall, Esophagus and Mediastinum
Cancerous tumors can appear in the chest wall, esophagus and mediastinum, which is the space between the lungs – including the heart, large vessels, trachea, esophagus, thymus, lymph nodes and connective tissue.

Valvular Diseases of the Heart
When heart valves fail to open and close properly, the implications for the heart and the body can be serious, possibly hampering the heart's ability to pump blood sufficiently to maintain the body's normal requirements. Mild heart valve disease may not cause any symptoms.