Aortic root

Last revised by Craig Hacking on 31 Jan 2024

The aortic root is the first part of the aorta containing parts of the aortic valve and connects the heart to systemic circulation. 

The aortic root is located between the aortic annulus (the junction of the outflow tract of the left ventricle and the aortic valve) and the sinotubular junction (where the ascending aorta originates).

It has several subparts 1:

  • three aortic valve leaflets and leaflet attachments

  • three aortic sinuses of Valsalva: intraluminal space formed by the cusps

    • right and left contain coronary aorta ostia, with a third non-coronary aortic sinus located posteriorly

  • three interleaflet trigones: space between the cusps and the annulus

  • sinotubular junction, which divides the aortic root from the ascending aorta

The average aortic diameter at the sinuses of Valsalva is often taken as 3.0 cm ± 0.5 4.

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