Sonographic Evaluation of the Abdominal Aorta

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a disease of aging, and the prevalence is expected to increase as the population of elderly patients grows. AAAs are associated with high mortality, as rupture of an AAA is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. This review describes the sonographic technique for evaluation of the abdominal aorta and associated pathologies of the abdominal aorta, including abdominal aortic aneurysm.