Aortic root measurement on CT: linear dimensions, aortic root area and comparison with echocardiography. A retrospective cross sectional study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the different CT aortic root measurements and determine their relationship to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). METHODS: TTE and ECG-gated CT images were reviewed from 70 consecutive patients (mean age 54 ± 18 years; 67% male) with tricuspid aortic roots (trileaflet aortic valves) between Nov 2009 and Dec 2013. Three CT planes (coronal, short axis en face and three-chamber) were used for measurement of nine linear dimensions. TTE aortic root dimension was measured as per guidelines from the parasternal long axis view. RESULTS: All CT short axis measurements of the aortic root had excellent reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC 0.96-0.99),..