Measurement of the Aortic Diameter in the Asymptomatic Korean Population: Assessment with Multidetector CT.

Purpose: To determine normal reference values for aortic diameters in asymptomatic Korean adults. Materials and Methods: Three hundred adults without signs or symptoms of cardiovascular diseases were enrolled in this study. Aortic diameters were measured at nine predetermined levels on CT images. Aortic diameter measurements were adjusted for body surface area. Analysis of data was performed with regard to age, sex, weight, height and hypertension. Results: Aortic diameters were 2.99 ± 0.57 cm at the ascending aorta, 2.54 ± 0.35 cm at the transverse aortic arch, 2.36 ± 0.35 cm at the proximal descending thoracic aorta (DTA), 2.23 ± 0.37 cm at the mid DTA, 2.17 ± 0.38cm at the distal DTA, 2.16 ± 0.37 cm at the thoracoabdominal junction, 2.10 ± 0.35 cm at the level of the celiac axis, 1.94 ± 0.36cm at the suprarenal aorta, 1.58 ± 0.24cm at the aortic bifurcation. Men had slightly larger diameters than women (p < 0.05). All diameters in- creased with age and hypertension, with statistical significance (p < 0.01). And all aortic diameters increased with height (p < 0.05) except at the level of the aortic arch (p = 0.056), and increased with weight (p <0.05) except at the level of the suprarenal aorta (p = 0.067). Conclusion: Male sex, higher weight and height, age and hypertension are associated with larger aortic diameters in asymptomatic Korean adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]