[Potential of tomographic methods of diagnosis and three-dimensional analysis of abdominal aortic aneurysm images].

Between 1998 and 2002, 256 tomographic investigations of the abdominal aorta were performed. Aortic aneurysms were identified in 29 (11.3%) patients. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) was provided to 16 patients 4 patients were examined by an electron-radiation tomograph, 6 by a spiral tomograph, 6 by a multispiral tomograph, and 13 patients underwent magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), with contrast enforcement. Two- and three-dimensional reconstructions of CT- and MR-angiograms were accomplished using special computerized working stations. Good quality MR- or CT- angiograms were obtained in all the patients examined. Interpretation of the angiograms did not cause noticeable difficulties. None of the patients required conventional contrast angiography. The investigations have demonstrated the benefits of multispiral CTA recognized as the method of choice for the diagnosis of aortic aneurysms. Of the 29 patients with the verified diagnosis of aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, aneurysms in 26 subjects were located in the infrarenal aorta. Of these, 5 patients were identified to have an aneurysm extending to the iliac arteries. In two patients, aneurysms extended to the renal arteries or to the suprarenal segment. A thoracoabdominal aneurysm (type III) was revealed in one patient. Associated aneurysm and occlusive lesions of lower extremity arteries (iliac, femoral) were present in 15 (51.7%) cases. In the majority of cases (89.7%), aneurysms ran an uncomplicated course. The complications encountered by us consisted in incomplete (intramural) rupture (2 patients) and dissection (one patient). 22 patients were operated on. Comparison of the intraoperative revision data with the results of preoperative CT and MR angiography has established that the sensitivity of the tomographic methods for the diagnosis of aneurysms was 95.7% and specificity 99%. With an accuracy of up to 2-3 mm there were determined the size of aneurysms, the distance to the renal arteries, the diameter of the proximal and distal "neck", the extension of aneurysms to the iliac arteries, the presence of occlusive lesions of lower extremity arteries. CT and MR angiography with bolus contrast enforcement are safe and noninvasive methods for the diagnosis of aortic aneurysms. They have the high information content and thus allow to plan surgical (and possibly endovascular) interventions without the use of conventional contrast angiography.