Normal Morphometry of the Thoracic Aorta in the German Shepherd Dog: a Computed Tomographic Study

Summary Computed tomographic images of the thoracic aorta of 14 German shepherd dogs were examined in order to determine the morphometry of the thoracic aorta. Examinations were carried out in the transverse plane at both intervertebral and mid-vertebral levels of each thoracic vertebra between T5 and T13. The dorsoventral and transversal diameters as well as cross-section area of the thoracic aorta were measured. The widest transversal diameter was observed at T4--5, whereas the largest dorsoventral diameter was detected at T5. The maximum cross-section area was detected at T4--5. When dorsoventral and transversal diameters were compared between males and females, the aortic diameter was found to be smaller in males than in females. Although the shape of the thoracic aorta was transversal oval in the majority of the examined females, the shape of the thoracic aorta was dorsoventral oval in the majority of the males. There were significant differences between all levels measured for transversal (P < 0.001), dorsoventral (P < 0.001) diameters and cross-section area (P < 0.001) of the thoracic aorta. And there was a significant correlation between the three parameters examined. However, the correlation coefficient was highest in females.