MULTIDETECTOR COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF INSTABILITY OF AORTIC ANEURYSM WALL

Abstract

Background: Aortic aneurysm is characterized by high incidence, polymorphic clinical features and sudden onset of severe complications.Aim: To develop a standard multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) protocol for aortic aneurysm examination and image analysis for detection the signs of aortic wall instability.Materials and methods: The data of 279 patients with aortic aneurysm who underwent MDCT examination during 2009–2014 was analyzed to identify aortic wall instability signs.Results: Complicated course of aortic aneurysm was observed in 100 cases (36%). The most common sign of aortic wall instability was aortic dissection. According to our results, a new definition of aortic aneurysm complications was elaborated. It included signs of aortic wall instability with incomplete and/or complete disruption of aortic wall layers. A scheme of the most common patterns of aortic wall abnormalities was proposed, allowing a radiologist to reach high accuracy in characterizing this pathology.Conclusion: A dedicated MDCT protocol for aortic aneurysm detection and image analysis can increase quality of radiologic assessment of aneurysm wall allowing to approach to the level of histological accuracy.

Keywords

• aortic aneurysm
• complicated course
• multidetector computed tomography
• signs of aortic wall instability