1 Answer

Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms

The permanent enlargement of some portion of a blood vessel is often described as bulging, ballooning or dilated. The diameter of the enlargement will determine whether or not it is considered an aneurysm. Traditionally for the aorta, any permanently dilated section measuring 4.0 cm or greater in diameter has been called an aneurysm.

The definition of an aneurysm may also be based on comparison with the normal blood vessel size for an individual. When the permanent enlargement of some part of a blood vessel is at least 1.5 times greater than normal size, it may be termed an aneurysm. Applying this to the aorta, if an individual's normal aorta is 2.5 cm, then dilation of 3.75 cm or greater represents an aneurysm in that person. A variation of this defines an aneurysm when the enlarged aorta is at least twice its normal size.

Whether the aorta is called "dilated" or the word "aneurysm" is used, any enlargement of the aorta, regardless of its size, is an indication of aortic disease and requires treatment. Aortic enlargement, although perhaps not yet qualified for the term aneurysm, should be monitored, treated medically, and the lifestyle and diet of the patient addressed.

Identifying dilation of the aorta implies the ability to determine the aorta's normal size for an individual. It is understood that the aorta's size will vary across any given population based on age, gender and body size. Broad ranges of aortic diameters sometimes listed as the normal size of the aorta necessarily span a large variation of body sizes in the population and may be misleading regarding a given individual. It is important that every effort is made to determine the normal aortic diameter for each individual in order to detect the early stages of aortic expansion due to underlying aortic disease. Generally, in the majority of patients that part of the aorta that is not enlarged may be used as an indicator of what is normal for that individual.

Read entire article here>>http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/Heart-Institute/Conditions/Aortic-Disease.aspx