Periaortic

Periaortic: Around the aorta. The aorta is the great artery that comes from the left ventricle of the heart and delivers oxygen-rich blood to the body. Peri- is a prefix borrowed from the Greek. It means "around or about." So perianal is around the anus. For example; pericardial is around the heart, perinatal is around birth, and periumbilical is around the umbilicus (the belly button). Peri- is a useful prefix in anatomy, much employed in medicine. Pericardial fluid is fluid around the heart. Periaortic lymph nodes are lymph nodes around the aorta.