[The value of sixty-four slice spiral CT angiography in diagnosing and evaluating abdominal aortic aneurysm before...

To assess the value of sixty-four slice spiral CT angiography (CTA) in diagnosing and evaluating abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) before operations.

Between Oct 2006 and Jan 2008, forty-three consecutive patients with suspected AAA underwent examinations by the sixty-four slice spiral CT angiography with 370 mg I/mL contrast material. Of these patients, 38 patients whose AAA imaging quality met the diagnostic criteria were enrolled in the study. Imaging reconstruction were made at the workstation, which included multi-plane reconstruction (MPR), maximum intensity projection (MIP) and volume rendering technique (VRT). The comprehensive observation and analysis focused on the type, location, size and extension of AAA. The classification of AAA was based on the relevant parameters that satisfied the requirement of endovascular stent-graft exclusion.

(1) The aneurysms of all of the 38 patients were located at under the level of renal arteries, including six that were adjacent to renal arteries and 32 under renal arteries. (2) Among the 38 patients with AAA, 4 were type I , 3 were type II A, 4 were type II B, 21 were type II C, and 6 were type III. (3) The sixty-four slice spiral CT angiography clearly displayed the shape, locality and size of the aneurysms, the anatomic relations between the aneurismal bodies and the adjacent main branches of aorta, and the mural thrombus in all of the patients. Relevant parameters of AAA could be accurately measured by the CTA images.

Sixty-four slice spiral CT angiography is a fast, non-invasive and effective instrument for diagnosing and evaluating AAA before operations.