Acute aortic syndromes include a spectrum of life-threatening aortic conditions. A review of the diagnostic aspects of the acute aortic syndrome was made, from the perspective of the imaging techniques available for this purpose. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique and its diagnostic performance were evaluated. Emphasis was placed on the relevance of clinical information as a fundamental tool for suspecting this syndrome and appropriately choosing the imaging technique. Our main objective is to provide information about the diagnosis of this condition, especially in the context of emergency services.