Mine was diagnosed in 2019 at 3.9cm. I get 6mth-yrly CTs or ultrasounds. Now it is 4.3 but I do have a connective tissue after doing a gene study- the LOX defect, similar to others such as Marfans gene defect. Three other relatives also have the same, and my mom passed from aortic dissection in '02, at age 66- I'm 68 now- so she never knew of the defect. So we watch it, and live life! (Due to the LOX loose elasticity and lack of collagen, I also have brain aneurysm, and renal and iliac, but they are just monitored, also.) I have a CT scan for aorta in Aug, which is past due, it's been a yr. Good luck to you! Hoping yours is slow growing as well. I feel that even if it's 4.5, Mayo will no do surgery. But rupture with mom was sudden death sentence, just 5 min. But a small percentage can make it to a hospital, if the leak or tear is slow...