Provisional guidelines were prepared by the ESC Task Force on Aortic Dissection, as suggested by the committee for Scientific Clinical Initiatives and approved by the ESC Board at its meeting on 17 June 1997.

This Task Force consists of 11 members, including representatives of the European Association of Radiology, and the European Society of Pediatric Cardiology, as well as one member appointed by the American College of Cardiology in order to gain ACC endorsement.The members were all appointed by the Board of the ESC upon suggestions made by the committee for Scientific Clinical Initiatives. In addition, controversial issues were discussed between the members on an e-mail platform as well as via telephone conferences. 

Review of the literature and position papers were prepared. At the request of the committee of Scientific Clinical Initiatives, the Task Force delineations were presented at the congress of the ESC in August 1999 by U. Sechtem in the conference on emerging guidelines