What Level Does Aorta Penetrate Diaphragm

The aortic hiatus

Where does aorta enter diaphragm?

(Aortic hiatus labeled near center.) The aortic hiatus is a hole in the diaphragm. It is the lowest and most posterior of the large apertures. It is located approximately at the level of the twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12).

Does the descending aorta go through the diaphragm?

The descending thoracic aorta is a continuation of the descending aorta and becomes the abdominal aorta when it passes through the diaphragm. … The two coronary arteries of the heart arise from the aortic root, just above the cusps of the aortic valve. The aorta then arches back over the right pulmonary artery.