Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease is common; approximately 200,000 people in the U.S are diagnosed each year. They occur when the walls of the aorta bulge or dilate. If the aneurysm is intact, it will generally cause no health problems, however, larger AAAs can rupture, becoming life-threatening and requiring emergency surgery. Ruptured AAA is the 10th leading cause of death in men older than 55.
At present, clinical management of patients with asymptomatic AAA is determined primarily by the maximal aneurysm diameter. Patients with AAAs larger than 5.5 cm are normally referred for elective repair, whereas AAAs smaller than 5.5 cm are most commonly followed with serial imaging at 6-month to 3-year intervals, depending on their size. Ultrasound and cross-sectional imaging with CT or MRI are commonly used.
Scientists at the UC San Francisco Department of Radiology and…
