Bicuspid Aortic Valve and Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm: Three Patient Populations, Two Disease Phenotypes, and One Shared Genotype
Figure 2
Spectrum of thoracic aortic aneurysm. Pathologic specimen identifies aortic dimensions (1–4) and intimate anatomic relationship of aortic valve and thoracic aorta (a). Parasternal long-axis echocardiographic views of the proximal aorta demonstrating the aortic valve annulus (1), aortic root (2), sinotubular junction (3), and ascending aorta (4) dimensions in normal (b) and discrete patterns of disease (c–f). Some patients are characterized by “high normal” dimensions throughout the proximal aorta (yellow lines, (c)), for example, patients with BAV. TAA may manifest as isolated dilation of the aortic root (red line, (d)), isolated dilation of the ascending aorta (red line, (e)), or dilation of multiple dimensions (red lines, (f)). AOV: aortic valve; AO: aorta; LA: left atrium; LV: left ventricle; MV: mitral valve. Reproduced with permission [22].
