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 t o determine whether we could then evaluate the extent of aneurysm and see a ssociated renal, celiac, mesenteric, and iliofemoral artery disease. Result s were compared with those of digital subtraction angiography (n = 47) and surgery (n = 37). RESULTS. The proximal and distal extents of abdominal aortic aneurysm corre lated 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 excee ding 50%. Sensitivity and specificity of dual-slice helical CT for revealin g stenosis exceeding 75% in celiac and superior mesenteric arteries were bo th 100%. Three of four iliofemoral artery stenoses and two occlusions of th e 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 n ecessary information for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm.