Aortic arch morphometry in living humans

J Anat. 2010 Nov;217(5):588-96. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2010.01297.x.

Abstract

Anatomical features of the aortic arch such as its steepness, the take-off angles and the distances between its supra-aortic branches can influence the feasibility and difficulty of interventional and/or surgical maneuvers. These anatomical characteristics were assessed by means of 3D multiplanar reconstruction of thoracic angio-computed tomography scans of 92 living patients (79 males, 13 females, mean age 69.4 ± 9.9 years) carried out for various indications (gross pathology of the thoracic aorta excluded). There was a significant variation of all measured parameters between the subjects - a standard aortic arch (i.e. with all measured parameters within 2 SD) does not seem to exist. There were no significant differences between genders but some of the parameters correlated significantly to age.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aorta, Thoracic / diagnostic imaging*
  • Aorta, Thoracic / pathology*
  • Aortic Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Sex Factors
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods