Diseases of the Aorta

Question 1

The normal aorta consists of what 6 segments?

Answer 1

Annulus
Sinus of Valsalva
Sinotubular junction
Ascending aorta
Arch
Descending thoracic aorta

Question 2

The area from the annulus to the proximal ascending aorta is called the ____.

Answer 2

Aortic root

Question 3

The ascending aorta terminates at the ____ artery and this is where the aortic arch begins.

Answer 3

Brachiocephalic

Question 4

The ____ continues on to include the left common carotid, left subclavian and ligamentum arteriosum.

Answer 4

Aortic arch

Question 5

Primary dilation occurs with:

Answer 5

Connective tissue disease
Marfan’s

Question 6

Secondary dilation occurs with:

Answer 6

Volume overload, AI
Pressure overload, HTN
Post stenotic dilation, AS

Question 7

Surgery is necessary at an aorta size of ____-____.

Answer 7

5.0 - 5.5 cm

Question 8

____ is an inherited connective tissue disease.

Answer 8

Marfan syndrome

Question 9

3 things often associated with Marfan syndrome:

Answer 9

Dilated aorta
Aortic dissection (Type A)
MVP

Question 10

Elongated fingers and arm bones are findings with ____.

Answer 10

Marfan syndrome

Question 11

A ____ aneurysm looks like a “windsock” structure in the right atrium

Answer 11

Sinus of valsalva

Question 12

The aortic wall is made up of three layers of tissue:

Answer 12

Intima
Media
Adventitia

Question 13

An aortic dissection begins with a tear in the ____ layer of the aortic wall

Answer 13

Intima/inner

Question 14

The most commonly reported symptom of acute aortic dissection is ____.

Answer 14

Sudden severe, constant chest and/or upper back pain, sometimes described as “ripping” or “tearing” or “stabbing.”

Question 15

The pain associated with acute aortic dissection may be ____, moving from one place to another, according to the direction and extent of the dissection.

Answer 15

Migratory

Question 16

Severe ____ is a grave prognostic indicator of acute aortic dissection

Answer 16

Hypotension

Question 17

Ai is present in 50-75% of ascending aorta ____.

Answer 17

Dissections

Question 18

____ occurs in 1-2% of dissections when the coronary arteries are involved.

Answer 18

MI

Question 19

____ is any dissection which involves the aorta proximal to the origin of the left subclavian artery, regardless of distal extent.

Answer 19

Stanford type A

Question 20

____ or ____ involves only the descending aorta.

Answer 20

Stanford type B or DeBakey Type III

Question 21

____ can occur throughout the whole aorta.

Answer 21

DeBakey Type I or Stanford Type A

Question 22

____ occurs in the ascending aorta only.

Answer 22

DeBakey Type II

Question 23

Only 4 - 5 cm of the ____ and ____ can be seen on TTE.

Answer 23

Ascending aorta and some of the arch

Question 24

____ is the gold standard for dissection diagnosis and may be used in place of using a TEE.

Answer 24

CT

Question 25

If the ascending aorta is involved then you will usually have some aortic ____.

Answer 25

Dilation

Question 26

The Aortic Valve is in the ____ lumen.

Answer 26

True

Question 27

Which lumen is smaller: the true lumen or the false lumen?

Answer 27

True

Question 28

The ____ lumen is usually filled with swirling echoes, representing stasis of blood.

Answer 28

False

Question 29

The true lumen will have what when using doppler and be one color?

Answer 29

Systole and diastole

Question 30

The ____ lumen will not have systole and diastole and will be a mix of red and blue when using color.

Answer 30

False

Question 31

The dissected area needs to be replaced with a ____.

Answer 31

Graft

Question 32

Atherosclerosis, aka, ____ of the aorta is frequently encountered during TEE.

Answer 32

Plaque

Question 33

Where is plaque most often found?

Answer 33

In the descending aorta and the arch

Question 34

Problems occur when there is ____ mm of protrusion into the lumen

Answer 34

4 mm

Question 35

What is a aortic pseudoaneurysm?

Answer 35

A contained rupture of the aorta

Question 36

The etiology for an aortic pseudoaneurysm is often ____.

Answer 36

Infection

Question 37

Aortic trauma is aortic dissection caused by ____.

Answer 37

The aorta being torn away from the heart

Question 38

____ is an inflammatory disease of the aorta and its proximal branches.

Answer 38

Takayasu Arteritis

Question 39

Takayasu Arteritis is marked irregular ____ thickening and accumulation of inflammatory tissue in the proximal aorta and ostia of major branches including the coronaries.

Answer 39

Intimal

Question 40

What population is Takayasu Arteritis typically found in?

Answer 40

Children and women under age 30 who are of African or Asian descent