CT Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm - Video Lesson

Hey everybody, welcome back. This lesson is about abdominal aortic aneurysm. We'll start with a definition. This condition is exactly what it sounds like. An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a focal dilation of the abdominal aorta, usually caused by atherosclerotic weakening of the vessel wall. There are other potential causes like traumatic injury, but chronic weakening of the vessel from atherosclerotic disease is the most common cause. CT is very effective at evaluating aortic aneurysms. We can see them without contrast, but we can see them much better using the angiography protocol. In CT angiography, it typically presents as a fusiform enlargement of the aorta, often with mural thrombus and calcification. This image demonstrates a typical fusiform aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, just below the renal arteries. This is a very common presentation in a common position for abdominal aortic aneurysms. The term fusiform means there