Ascending Aorta Diameter Measurement Considerations

Clinical Measurement Techniques

• The American College of Cardiology recommends that measurements should be obtained by M-mode echocardiography using leading edge methodology during early diastole, and must be perpendicular to blood flow axis to avoid overestimation 1
• The European Society of Cardiology suggests that serial measurements should use the same imaging modality and measurement technique for accurate assessment of growth 2

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

• The European Heart Journal advises against applying adult normative data to neonates, as the aorta grows substantially during childhood, and against comparing measurements obtained with different techniques (M-mode vs 2D vs CT/MRI), as methodology affects values 1