Vol 63, No 4 (2004)
Original article
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2004-09-16
Digital-image analysis of the aortic arch’s development and its variations
Jerzy St. Gielecki, Renata Wilk, Bożena Syc, Magdalena Musiał-Kopiejka, Aneta Piwowarczyk-Nowak
Folia Morphol 2004;63(4):449-454.
Vol 63, No 4 (2004)
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2004-09-16
Abstract
The study was performed on 103 human foetuses (58 female, 45 male) spontaneously
aborted at between 14 and 30 weeks of gestation. The arteries were
filled with latex, preserved in formalin and then dissected under the microscope
and digitalised using a camera system. The following measurements were taken
with the use of special computer software: the external diameter, the length
and the volume of the arch of the aorta. The increase in diameter and length
in relation to age corresponded to a linear function with values ranging from
1.77 mm to 4.09 mm for the diameter and from 4.94 mm to 13.31 mm for the
length. The increase in volume corresponded to a square root function with
values ranging from 13.42 mm3 to 173.96 mm3. Analysis of arch of the aorta
variations revealed 11 cases of a common trunk for the brachiocephalic trunk
and the left common carotid artery and 7 cases with the left vertebral artery
arising directly from the arch of the aorta. In 2 cases the brachiocephalic trunk
was absent, the right subclavian artery branching directly from the arch of the
aorta at the level of the left subclavian artery or from the descending aorta just
below the arterial duct ostium.
Abstract
The study was performed on 103 human foetuses (58 female, 45 male) spontaneously
aborted at between 14 and 30 weeks of gestation. The arteries were
filled with latex, preserved in formalin and then dissected under the microscope
and digitalised using a camera system. The following measurements were taken
with the use of special computer software: the external diameter, the length
and the volume of the arch of the aorta. The increase in diameter and length
in relation to age corresponded to a linear function with values ranging from
1.77 mm to 4.09 mm for the diameter and from 4.94 mm to 13.31 mm for the
length. The increase in volume corresponded to a square root function with
values ranging from 13.42 mm3 to 173.96 mm3. Analysis of arch of the aorta
variations revealed 11 cases of a common trunk for the brachiocephalic trunk
and the left common carotid artery and 7 cases with the left vertebral artery
arising directly from the arch of the aorta. In 2 cases the brachiocephalic trunk
was absent, the right subclavian artery branching directly from the arch of the
aorta at the level of the left subclavian artery or from the descending aorta just
below the arterial duct ostium.
Keywords
human foetus; morphometric measurements; variability; aortic arch
Title
Digital-image analysis of the aortic arch’s development and its variations
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 63, No 4 (2004)
Article type
Original article
Pages
449-454
Published online
2004-09-16
Page views
1691
Article views/downloads
1786
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2004;63(4):449-454.
Keywords
human foetus
morphometric measurements
variability
aortic arch
Authors
Jerzy St. Gielecki
Renata Wilk
Bożena Syc
Magdalena Musiał-Kopiejka
Aneta Piwowarczyk-Nowak