My 7-year-old grandson complains periodically that his heart hurts. On a chest x-ray we have been told that a small aortic knob appears. What does this mean? He is scheduled for an echocardiogram next week.
Q: What does it mean when a small aortic knob appears on an 7-year old's x-ray?
Answers (1)
7/24/08 1:47pm
An aortic knob is a normal landmark on a chest x-ray and is not a finding of concern. There may have been something unusual about the appearance of your grandson’s aortic knob, but the echocardiogram was probably recommended based more on the pain than the aortic knob. The echocardiogram will be helpful in excluding less likely causes of chest pain, but fortunately chest pain in children is usually caused by heartburn or chest wall irritation and hopefully this is the case for your grandson as well.
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By Coral— Last Modified: 12/25/10, First Published: 07/02/08
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