Transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation of aortic distensibility in a Takayasu's arteritis patient.

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a chronic, nonspecific, rare, and segmental inflammatory disease that primarily affects the aorta and its main branches. In the present case, the aortic elastic properties were decreased (aortic distensibility was practically normal) suggesting that ascending aorta was not affected by TA. For preoperative assessment, a routine transthoracic echocardiography can be a valuable method for the noninvasive functional evaluation of ascending aorta in a patient with TA.