title: Absence of atherosclerotic lesions in the thoracic aorta indicates absence of significant coronary artery disease.
abstract: Atherosclerotic lesions may be readily visualized in the thoracic aorta using transesophageal echocardiography. The absence of aortic plaque in the thoracic aorta rules out significant coronary artery obstruction whereas the existence of the former appears to be a sensitive and specific predictor of the latter.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Iraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Parthenakis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skalidis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Simantirakis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kounali
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vardas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nihoyannopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests