[False-positive findings in screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm]

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Medical Ultrasound

Background:

• Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) using ultrasound (US) is common.
• The precise incidence of false-positive screening results for AAA is not well-established.
• High predictive values are generally expected due to the precision of abdominal US in measuring aortic diameter.

Observation:

• A 66-year-old male presented for AAA screening via abdominal ultrasound.
• The ultrasound suggested a large abdominal aortic aneurysm measuring 8.3 cm.
• This finding prompted further investigation with computed tomography.

Findings:

• Computed tomography revealed an abdominal aorta of normal proportions.
• A large bladder diverticulum was identified anterior to the abdominal aorta.
• The suspected AAA was determined to be a false-positive finding.

Implications:

• This case highlights a rare instance of a false-positive AAA screening result.
• Bladder diverticula can potentially mimic abdominal aortic aneurysms on ultrasound.
• Accurate interpretation and potential use of complementary imaging are crucial for definitive diagnosis.