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Updated: May 4, 2026
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Ultrasound Imaging of the Thoracic and Abdominal Aorta in Mice to Determine Aneurysm Dimensions
Published on: March 8, 2019
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Gender-related changes in aortic geometry throughout life
Bartosz Rylski1, Benoit Desjardins, William Moser
1Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Summary
Aortic geometry differs by gender, with women experiencing greater aortic growth over time. This dynamic contributes to similar aortic sizes in older adults and may explain why aortic dissection is more common in younger men.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular research
- Human anatomy
- Gerontology
Background:
- Aortic geometry changes significantly throughout adult life.
- Gender-specific differences in aortic morphometry and aging patterns are not well-defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate aortic geometry across the adult age spectrum.
- To determine the gender-specific influence of aging on aortic morphometry.
Main Methods:
- Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scans of 195 subjects (94 women, 101 men) without vascular disease were analyzed.
- Measurements included lengths and diameters of all aortic segments, plus thoracic aorta width, height, and tortuosity.
- Comparisons were made between genders and across age groups.
Main Results:
- Men generally had larger aortic diameters and lengths than women.
- After adjusting for body surface area (BSA), women had larger ascending aorta and aortic arch diameters.
- Ascending aorta diameter increased with age in both genders, but more dynamically in women, leading to similar absolute diameters in individuals over 70.
Conclusions:
- Female gender is associated with smaller aortic dimensions only at younger ages.
- Aortic growth dynamics are more pronounced in women than in men.
- These gender-related geometric changes may explain the higher incidence of aortic dissection in young men, with differences normalizing with age.
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