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Thoracic aorta

Dr Jeremy Jones et al.

The thoracic aorta is the most superior division of the aorta and is itself divided into three sections:

ascending aorta
aortic arch
descending aorta

The thoracic aorta begins at the aortic valve, located obliquely and just to the left of the midline at the level of the the third intercostal space. It terminates as it exits the thorax to enter the abdomen through the median arcuate ligament between the diaphragmatic crurae at the level of T10.