title: Diameters of the thoracic aorta throughout life as measured with helical computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of helical computed tomography is well established in the evaluation of the thoracic aorta. Nevertheless, normal diameters and their changes during adult life according to this method are not available. We planned to set up normal diameters for the thoracic aorta of adults obtained by helical computed tomography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy adults, 17 to 89 years old, without any signs of cardiovascular disease were investigated with helical computed tomography. Aortic diameters were measured at seven predefined thoracic levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aortic diameters (mean +/- SD) were 2.98 +/- 0.46 cm at the aortic valve sinus, 3.09 +/- 0.41 cm at the ascending aorta, 2.94 +/- 0.42 cm proximal to the innominate artery, 2.77 +/- 0.37 cm at the proximal transverse arch, 2.61 +/- 0.41 cm at the distal transverse arch, 2.47 +/- 0.40 cm at the isthmus, and 2.43 +/- 0.35 cm at the diaphragm. Men had slightly longer diameters than did women. All diameters increased with age. There was no influence of weight, height, or body surface area. After normalization to the diameter at diaphragmatic level, no statistically significantly influential factor could be detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study delineates normal intrathoracic aortic diameters for helical computed tomography, including relationships with sex and age. Pathologic dimensions of the aorta should preferably be provided as percentiles or z scores.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease, Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Technische Universität München, München, Germany. hager@dhm.mhn.de
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hager
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaemmerer
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rapp-Bernhardt
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blücher
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rapp
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galanski
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hess
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed