Acute proximal occlusion of a nonaneurysmal abdominal aorta and renal arteries detected by renal imaging.

This report describes an unusual case of extensive vascular thrombosis involving the abdominal aorta and its branches. An 81-year-old man was admitted for anuric acute renal failure and congestive heart failure. An initial renal scan, performed to assess for the possibility of renal arterial embolus, showed scintigraphic evidence of obstruction of the proximal abdominal aorta, as well as markedly decreased perfusion to both kidneys and to the liver and spleen. The patient's condition progressively deteriorated and he expired. An autopsy showed total thrombotic occlusion of a mildly atherosclerotic nonaneurysmal abdominal aorta extending from the level of the superior mesenteric artery distally to the iliac arteries. There was involvement of the renal arteries and the splenic and superior mesenteric arteries by thrombosis. Thus, renal scintigraphy accurately detected the level of obstruction, which was further confirmed by autopsy.