Aortic diameter as a function of age, gender, and body surface area

Area of Science:

• Vascular imaging
• Medical diagnostics
• Anatomy

Background:

• Aortic aneurysm definition relies on diameter increase, but normal values are often unknown.
• The left renal vein level can be enlarged, complicating standard definitions.
• Establishing normal aortic diameters is crucial for accurate diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine normal diameters of the thoracic and abdominal aortas.
• To investigate the relationship between aortic diameter and age, gender, and body size.
• To develop predictive models for normal aortic dimensions.

Main Methods:

• Aortic diameters (ADs) measured at four key levels using computed tomographic scans (n=389).
• Analysis included gender, age, height, weight, and body surface area (BSA).
• Video analyzer and electronic caliper used for precise AD measurements.

Main Results:

• Aortic diameter is significantly larger in men than women across all age groups (p < 0.0001).
• Body surface area is a stronger predictor of aortic size than height or weight.
• Aortic diameter increases with age and correlates positively with BSA and gender.

Conclusions:

• Aortic diameter is predictable based on gender, age, and BSA.
• Regression equations allow calculation of expected aortic diameters.
• Patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms exhibit larger aortic diameters at all levels compared to controls.