Bart Lewis Dolmatch MD, Presenter: Speaker, C. R. Bard, Inc Consultant, C. R. Bard, Inc Royalties, C. R. Bard, Inc Board of Directors, IC Sciences Corporation

1) Review contemporary imaging strategies after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. 2) Understand complications and failure modes after AAA repair with particular attention to aortic endografting. 3) Explore the benefits, limitations, and risks for different post-treatment AAA imaging modalities. 4) Consider an overall imaging strategy for assessment of AAA patients treated with endografts.

Following treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA's), imaging is used to confirm that the aneurysm has been excluded and that there are no early or subsequent problems. Early problems, such as endoleaks, branch vessel occlusions, iliac artery dissection, pseudoaneurysms and thrombosis must be diagnosed and treated when necessary. Delayed problems include endoleaks, structural endograft problems, device migration, aneurysm enlargement, and progression of aneurysmal disease adjacent to the treatment area must be assessed.  Beside the use of non-invasive imaging, it is occasionally necessary to use invasive catheter angiography from either a transfemoral approach or a direct translumbar access into the AAA sac to treat endoleaks, migrations, or structural endograft problems. The use of plain film radiography, ultrasound, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and catheter angiography will be explored as these modalities apply to post-treatment assessment of patients with AAA's. 

Dolmatch, B, Posttreatment Imaging.  Radiological Society of North America 2009 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 29 - December 4, 2009 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2009/8001330.html