Aortic root

Last revised by Jeremy Jones on 20 Mar 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Smith L, Jones J, Hacking C, et al. Aortic root. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-35267

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-35267

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/35267

rID:

35267

Article created:

30 Mar 2015, Laura Smith

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Laura Smith had no recorded disclosures.

View Laura Smith's current disclosures

Last revised:

20 Mar 2024, Jeremy Jones ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Jeremy Jones had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Jeremy Jones's current disclosures

Revisions:

17 times, by 10 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Vascular, Cardiac

Sections:

Anatomy

Synonyms:

Aortic root anatomy

The aortic root is the first part of the aorta containing parts of the aortic valve and connects the heart to systemic circulation.

Gross anatomy

The aortic root is located between the aortic annulus (the junction of the outflow tract of the left ventricle and the aortic valve) and the sinotubular junction (where the ascending aorta originates).

The average aortic diameter at the sinuses of Valsalva is often taken as 3.0 cm ± 0.5⁴.

It has several subparts ¹:

three aortic valve leaflets and leaflet attachments
three aortic sinuses of Valsalva: intraluminal space formed by the cusps
- right and left contain coronary aorta ostia, with a third non-coronary aortic sinus located posteriorly
three interleaflet trigones: space between the cusps and the annulus
sinotubular junction, which divides the aortic root from the ascending aorta

Relations

Related pathology

References

1. Charitos E & Sievers H. Anatomy of the Aortic Root: Implications for Valve-Sparing Surgery. Ann Cardiothorac Surg. 2013;2(1):53-6. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2225-319X.2012.11.18 - Pubmed
2. Goldstein S, Evangelista A, Abbara S et al. Multimodality Imaging of Diseases of the Thoracic Aorta in Adults: From the American Society of Echocardiography and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging: Endorsed by the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography and Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. J Am Soc Echocardiogr. 2015;28(2):119-82. doi:10.1016/j.echo.2014.11.015 - Pubmed
3. Freeman L, Young P, Foley T, Williamson E, Bruce C, Greason K. CT and MRI Assessment of the Aortic Root and Ascending Aorta. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2013;200(6):W581-92. doi:10.2214/AJR.12.9531 - Pubmed
4. Hanneman K, Chan F, Mitchell R, Miller D, Fleischmann D. Pre- and Postoperative Imaging of the Aortic Root. Radiographics. 2016;36(1):19-37. doi:10.1148/rg.2016150053 - Pubmed
5. Underwood M, El Khoury G, Deronck D, Glineur D, Dion R. The Aortic Root: Structure, Function, and Surgical Reconstruction. Heart. 2000;83(4):376-80. doi:10.1136/heart.83.4.376 - Pubmed
6. Ko J, Goldstein J, Latson L et al. Chest CT Angiography for Acute Aortic Pathologic Conditions: Pearls and Pitfalls. Radiographics. 2021;41(2):399-424. doi:10.1148/rg.2021200055 - Pubmed
7. Charitos E & Sievers H. Anatomy of the Aortic Root: Implications for Valve-Sparing Surgery. Ann Cardiothorac Surg. 2013;2(1):53-6. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2225-319X.2012.11.18 - Pubmed
8. Tretter J, Izawa Y, Spicer D et al. Understanding the Aortic Root Using Computed Tomographic Assessment: A Potential Pathway to Improved Customized Surgical Repair. Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2021;14(11):e013134. doi:10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.121.013134 - Pubmed