title: Anatomical characteristics of the thoracic aortic arch in an Asian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endovascular repair of the aortic arch is often unsatisfactory due to poor stent-vessel conformity and inadequate landing zones.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the anatomical characteristics of the aortic arch and provide basic information for the development of arch-specific endovascular devices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-dimensional models were reconstructed in Mimics (image segmentation software) from computed tomography aortograms of 120 elderly Asian patients, by manual segmentation. The centerline of each Three-dimensional aortic model was calculated using a repulsive force field method. Measurements of the aorta and supra-aortic branches were analyzed using Patran (finite-element software). A three-dimensional statistical aortic arch model was built using principal component analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean diameters of the ascending and descending aorta, and the origins of the innominate, left common carotid, and left subclavian artery were 39.4 ± 6.7, 34.5 ± 7.9, 18.0 ± 3.8, 12.6 ± 2.7, and 14.1 ± 2.5 mm, respectively. The length of the ascending aorta, innominate to left common carotid artery, and left common carotid to left subclavian artery were 62.6 ± 11.4, 12.0 ± 5.6, and 18.7 ± 5.6 mm along the centerline. The mean angle of curvature was 103.8 ± 25 degrees. Principal component analysis of the three-dimensional centerlines derived 3 main modes of variation, which account for 61% of the overall shape range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aortic arch anatomical information from an elderly Asian population can be useful for the development of future endovascular devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Peixuan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Heow Pueh
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sudhakar K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Venkatesh
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods*; D044466:Asian People; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D015607:Stents; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000208:ethnology
keywords: Aorta; biomechanics; cardiovascular; finite element analysis; models; prosthesis design; thoracic