A Specific Assessment of the Normal Anatomy of the Aortic Root in Relation to Age and Gender

Figures & data

Figure 1 Computed tomography angiogram oblique transversal plane perpendicular to the aortic annulus plane in a 25-year-old male (A): width of the SOV; (B) width of the STJ) and a 59-year-old male (C) width of the SOV (D) width of the STJ.

Figure 2 Computed tomography angiographic double oblique transverse images of the aortic annulus and coronary ostia height in a 53-year-old male (A) Aortic annulus dimension; (B) Right ostia to annulus; (C) Left coronary ostia to annulus) and 54-year-old female (D) Aortic annulus dimension; (E) Right ostia to annulus; (F) Left coronary ostia to annulus.

Table 1 Patients’ Baseline Characteristics

Variable	Male	Female
Number	634	652
Age (years)	50.8 ± 11.1	54.6±10.7
BSA	1.87±0.15	1.61±0.12
Obesity	56(8.8%)	22 (3.4%)
Diabetes	47(7.4%)	36 (5.5%)
Dyslipidemia	119(18.8%)	124(19.0%)

Abbreviation: BSA: body surface area (m²)

Table 2 Aortic Root Dimensions in Males According to Age Groups After Correction for BSA

Aortic Dimension (mm/m^2)	<30 (n=12)	30–40 (n=80)	40–50 (n=221)	50–60 (n=188)	60–70 (n=103)	70–80 (n=23)	≥80 (n=7)	P value
Annulus short diameter	10.8 ± 1.3	11 ± 1.2	10.8 ± 1.2	11.1 ± 1.2	11.1 ± 1.1	11.3 ± 1	11 ± 1.1	0.208
Annulus long diameter	14.8 ± 2.1	14.4 ± 1.3	14.3 ± 1.3^a	14.6 ± 1.4	14.8 ± 1.5^a	14.9 ± 1.2	14.9 ± 1	0.023
Mean diameter	12.8 ± 1.6	12.7 ± 1.2	12.6 ± 1.2	12.9 ± 1.2	12.9 ± 1.2	13.1 ± 1	12.9 ± 0.9	0.064
Left ostia to annulus	8.3 ± 1.5	8.8 ± 1.3	8.8 ± 1.2	9 ± 1.4	9 ± 1.2	9.1 ± 1.2	9.3 ± 0.8	0.202
Right ostia to annulus	9.8 ± 1.9	9.3 ± 1.7	9.4 ± 1.4	9.5 ± 1.6	9.8 ± 1.8	10.2 ± 1.6	8.9 ± 2	0.098
Width of the SOV	15.8 ± 2.1	15.7 ± 2.1^abc	16.2 ± 1.8^def	16.9 ± 1.8^ad	17.2 ± 1.8^be	17.4 ± 1.6^cf	17.3 ± 0.8	0.000
LVOT short diameter	10.4 ± 1.7	10.5 ± 1.4	10.3 ± 1.3	10.6 ± 1.5	10.3 ± 1.4	10.8 ± 1.4	10.7 ± 0.9	0.427
LVOT long diameter	14.6 ± 2.4	14.4 ± 1.6	14.3 ± 1.4	14.7 ± 1.6	14.7 ± 1.5	15 ± 1.4	14.8 ± 0.8	0.071
Width of the STJ	13.6 ± 1.7^abc	14 ± 1.4^efgh	14.5 ± 1.5^ij	15.3 ± 1.5^aei	15.5 ± 1.7^bfj	15.5 ± 1.6^cg	15.9 ± 1.7^h	0.000
Ascending aorta	14.2 ± 1.8^abcde	15.3 ± 1.6^fghij	16.3 ± 1.7^afk	17.4 ± 1.7^bgko	18.2 ± 1.8^chlo	18.5 ± 1.7^dim	19.5 ± 1.7^ejnp	0.000

Notes: Data are means ± SD. There was a statistical difference between the parameters of the same letter, P <0.05.

Abbreviations: LVOT, left ventricular outflow tract; SOV, sinuses of Valsalva; STJ, sino-tubular junction.

Table 3 Aortic Root Dimensions in Females According to Age Groups After Correction for BSA

Aortic Dimension (mm/m^2)	<30 (n=9)	30–40 (n=45)	40–50 (n=148)	50–60 (n=223)	60–70 (n=185)	70–80 (n=34)	≥80 (n=8)	P value
Annulus short diameter	11.4 ± 1.2	11.4 ± 1.2	11.3 ± 1.1	11.3 ± 1.2	11.5 ± 1.2	11.9 ± 1.5	11.3 ± 1	0.113
Annulus long diameter	14.8 ± 0.8	14.6 ± 1.3	14.7 ± 1.3	14.7 ± 1.5	15 ± 1.4	15.4 ± 1.9	14.9 ± 1.7	0.132
Mean diameter	13.1 ± 0.9	13 ± 1.1	13 ± 1.1	13 ± 1.2	13.2 ± 1.2	13.7 ± 1.6	13.1 ± 1.3	0.078
Left ostia to annulus	9.6 ± 1.7	9.2 ± 1.8	9.1 ± 1.3	9 ± 1.4	9 ± 1.4	9.7 ± 1.9	8.7 ± 1	0.165
Right ostia to annulus	9.7 ± 1.5	9 ± 1.5	9 ± 1.4	9.3 ± 1.5	9.2 ± 1.5	9.7 ± 1.5	9.2 ± 1.2	0.245
Width of the SOV	15.7 ± 1.3^a	15.7 ± 1.6^bcd	16.6 ± 1.8^e	17 ± 1.7^bf	17.1 ± 1.9^c	18.1 ± 2.5^adef	17.3 ± 2	0.000
LVOT short diameter	11.1 ± 1.4	10.8 ± 1.1	10.8 ± 1.5	10.8 ± 1.3	10.9 ± 1.3	11.1 ± 1.8	10.3 ± 0.9	0.707
LVOT long diameter	14.5 ± 1.3	14.7 ± 1.3	14.8 ± 1.4	14.9 ± 1.4	15.2 ± 1.6	15.5 ± 1.9	14.8 ± 1.5	0.021
Width of the STJ	14.5 ± 1.8^a	14.5 ± 1.6^b	15.2 ± 1.6^fg	15.6 ± 1.6^bh	15.8 ± 1.9^cf	16.7 ± 2.3^adgh	16.6 ± 1.6^e	0.000
Ascending aorta	16.1 ± 1.6^abcd	16.4 ± 1.9^efghi	17.9 ± 1.8^ejklm	18.9 ± 2^afjnop	19.6 ± 2.1^bgknq	21 ± 2.4^chloq	21.2 ± 1.3^dimp	0.000

Notes: Data are means ± SD. There was a statistical difference between the parameters of the same letter, P <0.05.

Abbreviations: LVOT, left ventricular outflow tract; SOV, sinuses of Valsalva; STJ, sino-tubular junction.

Table 4 Correlation of Aortic Root Dimension with Age After Correction for BSA

	Male		Female
	r	P value	r	P value
Annulus short diameter	0.058	0.142	0.082	0.037
Annulus long diameter	0.126	0.001	0.094	0.016
Mean diameter	0.101	0.011	0.096	0.015
Left ostia to annulus	0.099	0.012	−0.009	0.814
Right ostia to annulus	0.097	0.015	0.066	0.095
Width of the SOV	0.272	0.000	0.242	0.000
LVOT short diameter	0.032	0.426	0.025	0.528
LVOT long diameter	0.103	0.009	0.138	0.000
Width of the STJ	0.326	0.000	0.258	0.000
Ascending aorta	0.533	0.000	0.494	0.000

Abbreviations: LVOT, left ventricular outflow tract; SOV, sinuses of Valsalva; STJ, sino-tubular junction.

Figure 3 Trend of aortic root parameter values with age. (A) Annulus short diameter; (B) Annulus long diameter; (C) Annulus mean diameter; (D) Right ostia to annulus; (E) Left ostia to annulus; (F) LVOT short diameter; (G) LVOT long diameter; (H) Width of the SOV; (I) Width of the STJ; (J) Ascending aorta.

Abbreviations: LVOT, left ventricular outflow tract; SOV, sinuses of Valsalva; STJ, sino-tubular junction.

Figure 4 Trend of aortic root parameter values with age after BSA correction. (A) Annulus short diameter; (B) Annulus long diameter; (C) Annulus mean diameter; (D) Right ostia to annulus; (E) Left ostia to annulus; (F) LVOT short diameter; (G) LVOT long diameter; (H) Width of the SOV; (I) Width of the STJ; (J) Ascending aorta.

Abbreviations: LVOT, left ventricular outflow tract; SOV, sinuses of Valsalva; STJ, sino-tubular junction.