MORPHOLOGIC ASSESSMENT OF ABDOMINAL AORTIC-ANEURYSMS BY SPIRAL COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC SCANNING

Purpose: The aim of this study was to seek a relationship between the morphologic features of abdominal aortic aneurysms and the feasibility of endoaortic grafting. Methods: Between June 1995 and January 1996, 86 patients were prospectively studied with contrast-enhanced spiral c omputed tomographic scans, which provided 35 parameters concerning the aorta and iliac arteries. Four groups were established according to t he diameter of abdominal aortic aneurysms: group A, 40 to 49 mm, 36 pa tients; group B, 50 to 59 mm, 26 patients; group C, 60 to 69 mm, 10 pa tients; and group D, greater than 70 mm, 14 patients. Results: There w as a correlation between the diameter and length of the aneurysm (p < 0.0001) and between aneurysm diameter and length of the proximal neck (p < 0.001). Presence of a proximal neck or a distal neck was more fre quent in groups A and B than in groups C and D (p < 0.01). The feasibi lity of endovascular grafting was estimated at between 50% and 61.6% a nd was higher in groups A and B than in groups C and D (p < 0.01). Con clusions: This study has shown an inverse relationship between the dia meter of the aneurysm and the length of the aortic neck (correlation c oefficient, -0.3640, p < 0.001). The diameter of an aneurysm was the m ost useful of the 31 parameters measured in predicting the feasibility of endoaortic grafting, estimated at 71% for aneurysms less than 60 m m in diameter and 37.5% for aneurysms greater than 60 mm in diameter ( p < 0.01).