Visibility of the intrapericardiac segment of the ascending aorta on conventional lateral chest films

In a retrospective survey of the lateral chest films of 284 adult patients the intrapericardiac part of the ascending aorta was at least partly discernible in more than half of the cases; those with visible calcifications in the aortic wall were excluded. None of the patients had known heart disease. When the intrapericardiac part of the ascending aorta is visible it can be clinically useful for the localisation of intracardiac calcifications in relation to the aortic orifice (inside or outside), for estimating the sagittal diameter of the left atrium and for evaluating the width and shape of the aortic root.