The measurement of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

A study was made of the accuracy of different methods currently used in assessing the transverse diameter of abdominal aortic aneurysms. The maximum transverse diameter of the abdominal aorta was estimated by clinical palpation, plain radiology, ultrasonography and aortography, in a group of 47 patients who were subjected to either a surgical exploration or elective aneurysm resection. The results of these estimations were compared with the actual measurements obtained during the surgical procedure. Measurements of aortic wall calcification seen on the plain X-ray film correlated best with the operative findings. However, calcification was seen in only 30% of the patients. Ultrasonography was almost universally applicable as a technique of assessing aortic size and was found to be a reliable technique for measuring the aortic diameter.