Aortic unfolding

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Aortic unfolding

  • ‘Unfolding’ of the aorta – a common X-ray finding in elderly patients – is a phenomenon which arises due to elongation of the ascending aorta with age
  • It is not usually considered a pathological finding in itself and should not be mistaken for an aortic aneurysm
  • It is often associated with calcification of the aorta – as in this image – which is a sign of atherosclerosis

Page author: Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust UK (Read bio)

Last reviewed: October 2019