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European Journal of Echocardiography Advance Access published online on June 13, 2009
European Journal of Echocardiography, doi:10.1093/ejechocard/jep081
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Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2009. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms using a dedicated portable ultrasound system: early results

Willem-Jan Flu1, Jan-Peter van Kuijk1, Egon J.W. Merks2, Ruud Kuiper1, Hence J.M. Verhagen3, Johan G. Bosch2, Nicolaas Bom2, Jeroen J. Bax4 and Don Poldermans3,*

1 Department of Anaesthesiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
3 Department of Vascular Surgery, Erasmus Medical Center, Room H805, 's-Gravendijkwal 230, 3015 GE Rotterdam, The Netherlands
4 Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

Received 22 April 2009; received in revised form 7 May 2009; accepted after revision 16 May 2009.

* Corresponding author. Tel: +31 10 703 4613; fax: +31 10 703 4957. E-mail address: d.poldermans{at}erasmusmc.nl


  Abstract

Aims: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are often diagnosed at time of (impending) rupture leading to a dramatic increase of morbidity and mortality. A simple screening device might be the key solution for widespread AAA screening. This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a new portable ultrasound scanner (Aortascan BVI 9600) developed for automatic AAA detection.

Methods and results: A total of 150 patients with presumed aneurysmatic peripheral atherosclerotic disease were included in the study. Patients were first scanned with conventional ultrasound (US), serving as reference technique. An infra-renal abdominal aorta diameter of ≥30 mm was defined as an AAA. Hereafter, the aorta was scanned using the Aortascan BVI 9600. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 15.0 statistical software. Abdominal aortic aneurysms were detected with conventional US in 78 (52%) patients, compared with 74 (49%) AAA's detected with Aortascan BVI 9600. The Aortascan BVI 9600 demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of 90, 94, 95, and 89%, respectively, in the detection of AAA's.

Conclusion: The Aortascan BVI 9600 automatically detects the aortic diameter with a 90% sensitivity without the need for a trained operator. Because of these unique capabilities, it can be used for AAA screening outside the hospital.

Keywords: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm; Ultrasound; Screening


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