A clinical re-evaluation of intravenous aortography for aortic aneurysms

The value of intravenous aortography in the preoperative assessment of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms is discussed. Fifteen patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms were investigated by ultrasonography followed by intravenous aortography, and the diagnostic accuracy of pre-operative clinical assessment was compared with these investigations. Particular attention was paid to the relationship of the renal arteries to the level of origin of the aneurysm, as this determines the operative approach. In 6 patients the operative approach was altered when intravenous aortography indicated erroneous clinical or ultrasonic diagnoses. We have found this a safe and useful part of the routine pre-operative investigation of patients with aortic aneurysms.