Abdominal aortic aneurysm: pretherapy assessment with dual-slice helical CT angiography.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate dual-slice helical CT in the pretherapy assessment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Dual-slice helical CT angiography was performed in 47 consecutive patients (mean age, 59 years) with abdominal aortic aneurysm to determine whether we could then evaluate the extent of aneurysm and see associated renal, celiac, mesenteric, and iliofemoral artery disease. Results were compared with those of digital subtraction angiography (n = 47) and surgery (n = 37).

RESULTS: The proximal and distal extents of abdominal aortic aneurysm correlated well with surgical findings. Dual-slice helical CT showed all main (n = 102) and accessory (n = 13) renal arteries with a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 100% for revealing associated renal artery stenosis exceeding 50%. Sensitivity and specificity of dual-slice helical CT for revealing stenosis exceeding 75% in celiac and superior mesenteric arteries were both 100%. Three of four iliofemoral artery stenoses and two occlusions of the common iliac artery were revealed by dual-slice helical CT.

CONCLUSION: Helical CT angiography with dual-slice scanning is a useful and minimally invasive technique that can provide with high accuracy all the necessary information for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm.