Table 5.
Mean and upper limits of normal thoracic aortic diameters and aortic aneurysm thresholds in NLST participants, by sex and body surface area*. A thoracic aorta measuring between upper limit of normal and the threshold for aortic aneurysm should be described as dilated.
| a) Men | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean aortic diameter (cm) | Upper limit of normal (mean + 2 s.d.) (cm) | Aortic aneurysm threshold (1.5 × mean diameter) (cm) | ||||||||||
| Age | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 |
| Sinotubular junction | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 3.32 | 3.44 | 3.44 | 3.46 | 4.09 | 4.08 | 4.24 | 4.31 | 4.98 | 5.15 | 5.15 | 5.19 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 3 | 3.4 | NA** | NA | NA*** | NA | NA | NA | 4.5 | 5.1 | NA | NA |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 3.16 | 3.27 | 3.15 | 3.45 | 3.9 | 3.75 | NA | 4.23 | 4.74 | 4.91 | 4.72 | 5.18 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 3.33 | 3.38 | 3.42 | 3.35 | 4.11 | 4.06 | 4.07 | 4.11 | 5 | 5.06 | 5.14 | 5.03 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 3.38 | 3.51 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.16 | 4.15 | 4.37 | NA | 5.07 | 5.26 | 5.25 | 5.55 |
| Mid-ascending aorta | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 3.37 | 3.5 | 3.64 | 3.57 | 4.1 | 4.22 | 4.31 | 4.14 | 5.06 | 5.25 | 5.46 | 5.35 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 3.2 | 3 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 4.8 | 4.5 | NA | NA |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 3.23 | 3.25 | 3.4 | 3.57 | 4.15 | 3.83 | NA | 4.03 | 4.84 | 4.88 | 5.1 | 5.35 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 3.34 | 3.47 | 3.56 | 3.5 | 3.98 | 4.26 | 4.06 | 4.12 | 5.01 | 5.21 | 5.34 | 5.25 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 3.47 | 3.58 | 3.77 | 3.7 | 4.19 | 4.24 | 4.53 | NA | 5.21 | 5.37 | 5.66 | 5.55 |
| Transverse aorta | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 2.78 | 2.89 | 2.95 | 3 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.53 | 3.52 | 4.17 | 4.33 | 4.42 | 4.49 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 2.4 | 2.6 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3.6 | 3.9 | NA | NA |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 2.61 | 2.61 | 2.45 | 2.92 | 2.93 | 2.99 | NA | 3.41 | 3.92 | 3.92 | 3.68 | 4.38 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 2.8 | 2.86 | 2.94 | 2.95 | 3.29 | 3.55 | 3.54 | 3.49 | 4.19 | 4.3 | 4.42 | 4.43 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 2.85 | 2.98 | 3.03 | 3.18 | 3.38 | 3.52 | 3.47 | NA | 4.28 | 4.46 | 4.55 | 4.77 |
| Mid-descending aorta | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 2.59 | 2.7 | 2.81 | 2.86 | 3.16 | 3.17 | 3.41 | 3.35 | 3.89 | 4.05 | 4.21 | 4.29 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 2.2 | 2.7 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3.3 | 4.05 | NA | NA |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 2.43 | 2.51 | 2.5 | 2.78 | 2.83 | 3.03 | NA | 2.98 | 3.64 | 3.77 | 3.75 | 4.17 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 2.58 | 2.75 | 2.78 | 2.83 | 3.02 | 3.28 | 3.3 | 3.27 | 3.87 | 4.13 | 4.17 | 4.25 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 2.68 | 2.71 | 2.89 | 3 | 3.35 | 3.12 | 3.58 | NA | 4.02 | 4.07 | 4.34 | 4.5 |
| Diaphragmatic hiatus | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 2.53 | 2.63 | 2.76 | 2.81 | 3.04 | 3.08 | 3.22 | 3.32 | 3.79 | 3.95 | 4.13 | 4.21 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 2 | 2.5 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3 | 3.75 | NA | NA |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 2.38 | 2.56 | 2.7 | 2.85 | 2.69 | 3.04 | NA | 3.22 | 3.57 | 3.84 | 4.05 | 4.28 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 2.54 | 2.68 | 2.74 | 2.72 | 3 | 3.18 | 3.17 | 3.04 | 3.81 | 4.01 | 4.11 | 4.08 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 2.59 | 2.63 | 2.79 | 2.94 | 3.15 | 3.05 | 3.27 | NA | 3.88 | 3.95 | 4.19 | 4.41 |
| b) Women | ||||||||||||
| Mean aortic diameter (cm) | Upper limit of normal (mean + 2 s.d.) (cm) | Aortic aneurysm threshold (1.5 × mean diameter) (cm) | ||||||||||
| Age | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 |
| Sinotubular junction | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 3.12 | 3.17 | 3.11 | 3.29 | 3.83 | 3.82 | 3.86 | 3.81 | 4.68 | 4.76 | 4.67 | 4.94 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 2.99 | 3.12 | 3.05 | 3.25 | 3.61 | 3.98 | 3.98 | 3.7 | 4.49 | 4.68 | 4.57 | 4.88 |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 3.09 | 3.15 | 3.09 | 3.23 | 3.66 | 3.76 | 3.79 | NA | 4.63 | 4.72 | 4.63 | 4.84 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 3.22 | 3.22 | 3.19 | 3.25 | 4.18 | 3.58 | 3.82 | NA | 4.84 | 4.83 | 4.78 | 4.88 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 3.26 | 3.38 | 3.25 | 3.9 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 4.89 | 5.06 | 4.88 | 5.85 |
| Mid-ascending aorta | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 3.19 | 3.27 | 3.35 | 3.44 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.95 | 4.12 | 4.79 | 4.9 | 5.02 | 5.16 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 3.07 | 3.22 | 3.25 | 3.42 | 3.85 | 3.86 | 3.88 | 3.86 | 4.61 | 4.83 | 4.88 | 5.12 |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 3.18 | 3.19 | 3.34 | 3.3 | 3.98 | 3.99 | 3.79 | NA | 4.77 | 4.79 | 5.01 | 4.95 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 3.23 | 3.33 | 3.41 | 3.3 | 3.95 | 3.73 | 4.05 | NA | 4.84 | 5 | 5.12 | 4.95 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 3.48 | 3.62 | 3.6 | 4.4 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 5.22 | 5.44 | 5.4 | 6.6 |
| Transverse aorta | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 2.66 | 2.71 | 2.63 | 2.78 | 3.14 | 3.15 | 3.15 | 3.2 | 3.98 | 4.06 | 3.94 | 4.17 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 2.6 | 2.66 | 2.59 | 2.82 | 2.99 | 3.13 | 2.88 | 3.01 | 3.9 | 3.99 | 3.88 | 4.22 |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 2.63 | 2.66 | 2.63 | 2.8 | 3.16 | 3.1 | 3.29 | NA | 3.94 | 3.99 | 3.94 | 4.2 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 2.71 | 2.82 | 2.62 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 3.11 | 3.33 | NA | 4.07 | 4.22 | 3.94 | 3.75 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 2.78 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 3 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 4.17 | 4.35 | 4.2 | 4.5 |
| Mid-descending aorta | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 2.4 | 2.46 | 2.53 | 2.63 | 2.83 | 2.96 | 3.08 | 3.01 | 3.6 | 3.68 | 3.79 | 3.95 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 2.26 | 2.37 | 2.38 | 2.57 | 2.63 | 2.97 | 2.72 | 2.81 | 3.4 | 3.55 | 3.57 | 3.85 |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 2.35 | 2.41 | 2.56 | 2.65 | 2.71 | 2.81 | 3.33 | NA | 3.53 | 3.62 | 3.84 | 3.97 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 2.51 | 2.6 | 2.62 | 2.75 | 2.9 | 3.04 | 3.11 | NA | 3.77 | 3.9 | 3.94 | 4.12 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 2.64 | 2.73 | 2.75 | 2.7 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3.96 | 4.09 | 4.12 | 4.05 |
| Diaphragmatic hiatus | ||||||||||||
| Any BSA | 2.35 | 2.4 | 2.44 | 2.52 | 2.81 | 2.91 | 3.04 | 2.98 | 3.53 | 3.59 | 3.66 | 3.77 |
| BSA < 1.7 m2 | 2.23 | 2.3 | 2.23 | 2.47 | 2.56 | 2.93 | 2.48 | 2.77 | 3.34 | 3.45 | 3.34 | 3.7 |
| 1.70 – < 1.89 m2 | 2.32 | 2.39 | 2.59 | 2.48 | 2.63 | 2.8 | 3.34 | NA | 3.48 | 3.59 | 3.88 | 3.71 |
| 1.89– < 2.09 m2 | 2.41 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.75 | 2.91 | 3.05 | 3.08 | NA | 3.62 | 3.75 | 3.75 | 4.12 |
| >=2.09 m2 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.7 | 2.5 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3.99 | 3.86 | 4.05 | 3.75 |
*
as measured on axial CT images, using Mosteller Body surface area (BSA) calculation
**
NA values were caused by missing observations in that category.
***
Where there were fewer than 6 observations in a category, SD was not calculated and the upper limit was reported as “NA” (Wolak et al 2008).