Visceral fat obesity contributes to the tortuosity of the thoracic aorta on chest radiograph in poststroke Japanese patients.

Tortuosity of the thoracic aorta on chest radiographs is characteristic of atherosclerotic disease. Aging and hypertension are associated with the tortuosity, but little is known about the influence of other atherosclerotic risk factors on this abnormality. The purpose of this study was to examine which atherosclerotic risk factors are determinants for tortuosity of the thoracic aorta.