Aortic aneurysms: growth rates measured with CT

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Limited data exists on the growth rates of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms.
• Atherosclerotic aortic aneurysms are a significant clinical concern requiring accurate monitoring.
• Nonoperative management necessitates reliable methods for tracking aneurysm progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the growth rates of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms.
• To compare the growth characteristics of aneurysms at different aortic locations.
• To inform clinical recommendations for surveillance strategies.

Main Methods:

• Prospective follow-up of 171 patients with nonoperatively managed atherosclerotic aortic aneurysms.
• Sequential computed tomography (CT) scans were performed over a minimum of 6 months.
• Analysis of growth rates for 211 aneurysms (82 thoracic, 129 abdominal).

Main Results:

• The average growth rate for thoracic aortic aneurysms was 0.42 cm/year.
• The average growth rate for abdominal aortic aneurysms was 0.28 cm/year.
• Aortic arch aneurysms demonstrated a significantly faster average growth rate (0.56 cm/year), even after adjusting for initial diameter.

Conclusions:

• Thoracic aortic aneurysms, especially those in the aortic arch, grow faster than abdominal aortic aneurysms.
• Frequent CT surveillance is recommended for thoracic aortic aneurysms, with particular attention to aortic arch aneurysms.
• These findings support tailored monitoring protocols based on aneurysm location.