Age-related changes in the abdominal aorta shown by computed tomography

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Gerontology
• Vascular Medicine

Background:

• The aging process is associated with changes in the abdominal aorta.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for diagnosing aortic diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the computed tomographic (CT) findings of the abdominal aorta in a large patient cohort.
• To establish normative data for aortic diameter and calcification across different age groups and sexes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of computed tomographic (CT) scans from 257 patients.
• Measurement of abdominal aortic diameter.
• Assessment of mural and annular calcification presence and distribution.

Main Results:

• A progressive increase in aortic diameter with advancing age was confirmed.
• Aortic dilatation was more pronounced in males compared to females.
• No significant sex-based difference in the age of onset for mural calcification was observed.
• Mural calcification was more frequent in males aged 30-60 years.
• Annular calcification was more common in females during their seventh and eighth decades of life.

Conclusions:

• Age-related changes in abdominal aortic diameter and calcification patterns are significant.
• Sex influences the degree of aortic dilatation and the prevalence of calcification in specific age groups.
• The provided normative values can aid in the assessment of abdominal aortic pathology.