Figure 7.

Three-dimensional computer-generated animation snapshots of the aortic root using the radiopaque marker data from Dagum et al.'s (1999) experiment at Stanford. Note that during ejection, the aortic root had a tendency to change from a clover-shaped cone to a more cylindrical shape. This computer simulation of the deformation of the annular fibroskeleton based on the marker data revealed that transformation from clover to cylindrical shape was explained by the geometric changes of the base relative to the commissures. The base underwent circumferential contraction, whereas the commissures continued to expand during ejection and at the point when both were of equal diameter, the aortic root achieved a cylindrical shape.