Normative Values of Pediatric Thoracic Aortic Diameters Indexed to Body Surface Area Using Computed Tomography

Kocher M. R., Waltz J., Collins H., Schoepf U. J., Tran T., Guruvadoo K., ...More

Journal of Thoracic Imaging, vol.37, pp.231-238, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 37
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.1097/rti.0000000000000623
  • Journal Name: Journal of Thoracic Imaging
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE
  • Page Numbers: pp.231-238
  • Keywords: thoracic aorta, pediatric, computed tomography, body surface area, ARTERIAL DIMENSIONS, MAGNETIC-RESONANCE, REPAIRED TETRALOGY, PULMONARY-ARTERY, CHILDREN, NOMOGRAMS, ADOLESCENTS, INFANTS, SIZE
  • Karadeniz Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

© 2021 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish normative values for the thoracic aorta diameter in pediatric patients from birth to 18 years of age using computed tomography (CT) measurements and to create nomograms related to body surface area (BSA). Methods: A total of 623 pediatric patients without cardiovascular disease (42.1% females; from 3 d to 18 y old) with high-quality, non-electrocardiogram-gated, contrast-enhanced CT imaging of the chest were retrospectively evaluated. Systematic measurements of the aortic diameter at predetermined levels were recorded, and demographic data including age, sex, ethnicity, and BSA were collected. Reference graphs plotting BSA over aortic diameter included the mean and Z-3 to Z+3, where Z represents SDs from the mean. Results: The study population was divided into 2 groups (below 2 and greater than or equal to 2 y old). There were no significant differences in average aortic measurements between males and females. Both age groups exhibited significant positive correlations among all size-related metrics (all P<0.001) with BSA having the highest correlation. For both groups, the average orthogonal thoracic aortic diameters at each level of the thoracic aorta were used to create nomograms. Conclusion: This study establishes clinically applicable, BSA-specific reference values of the normal thoracic aorta for the pediatric population from CT imaging.