Aortic arch anomalies.

Magnetic resonance imaging has become the gold standard for imaging the aortic arch with the ability to demonstrate not only the arterial branching pattern, but also the relationship of aorta and its branches to the trachea and bronchi. Examples of four major aortic arch types--left aortic arch, right aortic arch, double aortic arch and persistent fifth aortic--with most of their variations are demonstrated.