Biomaterial Database

The normal growth of the thoracic aorta in human foetuses. 2007

M Szpinda

Department of Normal Anatomy, the Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, the Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland. kizanat@cm.umk.pl

The present study was performed on 128 spontaneously aborted human foetuses aged 15-34 weeks in order to establish normal values for thoracic aorta dimensions at various gestational ages. Using anatomical dissection, digital-image analysis (the Leica QWin Pro 16 system) and statistical analysis (ANOVA, regression analysis) the growth of the length, the original and terminal external diameters and the volume of the thoracic aorta during gestation was examined. No significant gender differences were found (p>0.05). The growth curves were generated of the best fit for the plot for each morphometric feature against gestational age. Both the length and external diameters of the thoracic aorta increased in proportion to the advance in foetal age. The length ranged from 12.49+/-1.85 mm to 48.82+/-6.31 mm according to the linear function y=-19.654+2.0512x+/-3.5168. The original external diameter ranged from 1.25+/-0.28 mm to 5.65+/-0.48 mm according to the linear fashion y=-2.3834+0.2367x+/-0.3850. The terminal external diameter ranged from 1.15+/-0.26 mm to 5.18+/-0.45 mm, in agreement with the linear model y=-2.1438+0.2156x+/-0.3555 (r=0.96, p<0.001 for each feature). The volume of the thoracic aorta ranged from 15.75+/-8.06 mm3 to 1158.01+/-301.85 mm3 according to the quadratic function y=1376.2-154.42x+4.419x2+/-125.6 (R2=0.90). The growth curves generated from my data may be useful as a reference for foetal echocardiographers, who must distinguish abnormal from normal foetal development.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D012016	Reference Values	The range or frequency distribution of a measurement in a population (of organisms, organs or things) that has not been selected for the presence of disease or abnormality.	Normal Range,Normal Values,Reference Ranges,Normal Ranges,Normal Value,Range, Normal,Range, Reference,Ranges, Normal,Ranges, Reference,Reference Range,Reference Value,Value, Normal,Value, Reference,Values, Normal,Values, Reference
D005260	Female		Females
D005333	Fetus	The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN.	Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal
D005865	Gestational Age	The age of the conceptus, beginning from the time of FERTILIZATION. In clinical obstetrics, the gestational age is often estimated from the onset of the last MENSTRUATION which is about 2 weeks before OVULATION and fertilization. It is also estimated to begin from fertilization, estrus, coitus, or artificial insemination.	Embryologic Age,Fetal Maturity, Chronologic,Chronologic Fetal Maturity,Fetal Age,Maturity, Chronologic Fetal,Age, Embryologic,Age, Fetal,Age, Gestational,Ages, Embryologic,Ages, Fetal,Ages, Gestational,Embryologic Ages,Fetal Ages,Gestational Ages
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001013	Aorta, Thoracic	The portion of the descending aorta proceeding from the arch of the aorta and extending to the DIAPHRAGM, eventually connecting to the ABDOMINAL AORTA.	Aorta, Ascending,Aorta, Descending,Aortic Arch,Aortic Root,Arch of the Aorta,Descending Aorta,Sinotubular Junction,Ascending Aorta,Thoracic Aorta,Aortic Roots,Arch, Aortic,Ascending Aortas,Junction, Sinotubular,Root, Aortic,Sinotubular Junctions
D012727	Sex Characteristics	Those characteristics that distinguish one SEX from the other. The primary sex characteristics are the OVARIES and TESTES and their related hormones. Secondary sex characteristics are those which are masculine or feminine but not directly related to reproduction.	Gender Characteristics,Gender Differences,Gender Dimorphism,Sex Differences,Sex Dimorphism,Sexual Dichromatism,Sexual Dimorphism,Characteristic, Gender,Characteristic, Sex,Dichromatism, Sexual,Dichromatisms, Sexual,Difference, Sex,Dimorphism, Gender,Dimorphism, Sex,Dimorphism, Sexual,Gender Characteristic,Gender Difference,Gender Dimorphisms,Sex Characteristic,Sex Difference,Sex Dimorphisms,Sexual Dichromatisms,Sexual Dimorphisms
D018919	Neovascularization, Physiologic	The development of new BLOOD VESSELS during the restoration of BLOOD CIRCULATION during the healing process.	Angiogenesis, Physiologic,Angiogenesis, Physiological,Neovascularization, Physiological,Physiologic Angiogenesis,Physiologic Neovascularization,Physiological Angiogenesis,Physiological Neovascularization