Screening for aneurysms of the abdominal aorta using a simple screening device

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Medical Devices
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is recommended in select populations.
• Cost-efficiency and accuracy are critical for any screening program.
• The Aorta Scan, a bladder scan technology-based device, offers a cost-effective and user-friendly approach to AAA screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the Aorta Scan as a screening tool for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).
• To determine the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the Aorta Scan compared to abdominal ultrasound.

Main Methods:

• 117 patients underwent screening with the Aorta Scan.
• Results were compared to the gold standard (abdominal ultrasound).
• Statistical analysis included sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, accuracy, and Kappa agreement. Patients with waist-hip circumferences >115 cm were analyzed separately.

Main Results:

• The Aorta Scan demonstrated high accuracy (0.92) with sensitivity of 0.86 and specificity of 0.98.
• Excluding patients with waist-hip circumferences >115 cm improved performance: accuracy to 0.97, sensitivity to 0.96, and Kappa to 0.94.
• Positive and negative predictive values were also high, particularly in the subgroup with smaller waist-hip circumferences.

Conclusions:

• The Aorta Scan is a highly accurate and cost-effective screening tool for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).
• Its performance is especially notable in patients with waist-hip circumferences below 115 cm.
• The device is a strong candidate for clinical implementation in selected populations for AAA screening.