Right aortic arch

What it means

Aorta descends on right instead of on the left.

The are several types of right aortic arch (RAA). RAA can recognized radiographically by leftward displacement of barium-filled esophagus or of an air-filled trachea. The aortic knob is absent from left side, and the para-aortic stripe returns to left side of spine just above diaphragm.

Rare diseases that can present with this6

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Right-sided aortic arch