[Current role of computerized tomography and prospectives of the use of magnetic resonance in the diagnosis of aortic abdominal aneurysms and evaluation of their complications].

In this work we discussed the role of conventional radiology, ultrasonography (US), angiographic study, CT scan and MR imaging in the diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysms and their complications. US is the most suitable technique for screening and follow-up study of aortic aneurysms. Unfortunately it is not so reliable in the study of visceral arteries and in fat patients. Aortic angiography is the most useful method for the study of visceral arterial branches, but it does not show the phlogistic changes as well as the peripheral thrombotic alterations within the lesion. TC scan is also a useful technique in the study of aortic aneurysm, although it is not so accurate in detecting the visceral arterial branches. Finally, we think that MR imaging is the most reliable method for the diagnosis of aortic aneurysm. Movement artifact and lack of information due to the poor visualization of calcifications are still the principal limits of this technique.