Scans

The animations shown below present ultrasound views of the aorta.

Normal longitudinal scan

Looking at the image, see how the aorta appears in a normal longitudinal scan. Note the following features:

• The sloping appearance of the aorta due to the lumbar lordosis
• The high coeliac axis
• The superior mesenteric vessels immediately below the coeliac axis

Normal high transverse scan

Looking at this image, see how the aorta appears in a normal high transverse scan. Note the appearance of the coeliac axis, described as a ‘seagull’.

The snowman

Finally, looking at this image, see how the ‘snowman’ appears in a normal transverse scan just below the coeliac axis.