Supra- and juxtarenal aneurysms of the abdominal aorta: preoperative assessment with thin-section spiral CT.

PURPOSE: To assess the contribution of thin-section spiral computed tomography (CT) to the preoperative radiologic evaluation of juxta- and suprarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Thirty-eight patients (26 men, 12 women; age range, 60-81 years) with infrarenal (n = 23), juxtarenal (n = 8), and suprarenal (n = 7) aneurysms underwent digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and 2-mm-collimation spiral CT. Cine-interactive display of overlapping axial, reformatted, and maximum intensity projection images were used for CT image analysis. CT findings were compared with angiographic and surgical findings.

RESULTS

The proximal extent of the juxta- and suprarenal aneurysms (n = 15) could be correctly predicted in 12 cases (80%) with DSA and was exactly determined in 14 (93%) with CT. All renal arteries except three accessory renal arteries were correctly depicted with spiral CT (83 of 86 [96%]). With DSA as the standard of reference, renal artery stenoses of at least 70% were accurately assessed in 95% of cases.

CONCLUSION

Thin-section spiral CT can provide additional information in the preoperative diagnosis of juxta- and suprarenal aneurysms.