Effect of aging on the configurational change of the aortic arch

We explored the relationship between aging and the configuration of the aortic arch using computed tomography angiography (CTA). We retrospectively reviewed CTA obtained in 140 cases. The configuration of the aortic arch was categorized into three types based on the criteria mentioned by Madhwal et al., and the relationships between each configuration and patient characteristics were analyzed. Anomalies of the aortic arch were also explored. Twenty patients had a type-1 aortic arch (mean age, 56.1 years), 30 patients had a type-2 aortic arch (mean age, 66.3 years), and 89 patients had a type-3 aortic arch (mean age, 71.7 years). The mean age of patients with a type-3 aortic arch was significantly higher than that of patients with a type-1 aortic arch. No significant correlations between the type of aortic arch and other factors, such as smoking habit, were seen. The configuration of the aortic arch in our study appears to be significantly affected by the age of the patients.