Comparison of color duplex ultrasound and computed tomography scan for surveillance after aortic endografting

Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) requires regular su rveillance for early detection of endograft failure. Ci scanning is the gol d standard surveillance procedure. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of color duplex ultrasound (CDU) in comparison to CT scanni ng for detection of endoleaks and changes in aneurysmal diameter. From Nove mber 1996 to September 1999, a total of 41 patients treated by aortic endog rafting underwent regular surveillance with both CT scanning and CDU. There were 39 men and 2 women with a mean age of 71 years (range, 50-83). Endova scular treatment involved deployment of a straight aorto-aortic stent in 6 cases, bifurcated stent in 33, and aorta-to-unilateral iliac artery stent i n 2. Stent deployment failed in one case; the procedure was conversion to o pen surgery. Primary or secondary endoleaks were detected in 17 patients (4 2%). Our findings indicated that CDU is less reliable than the CT scan for detection of endoleaks, but that reliability of CDU for surveillance of ane urysmal diameter is fair.