Assessment of abdominal aortic aneurysm wall distensibility and stress
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Assessment of abdominal aortic aneurysm wall distensibility, peak wall stress and growth rate using 3-dimensional ultrasound
IRAS ID
127669
Contact name
Charles McCollum
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Research summary
An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a potentially life threatening condition where the aorta, the main artery that carries blood down the body from the heart the heart, weakens and bulges within the upper abdomen. Approximately 5% of men over the age of 65 years are affected. An AAA will progressively enlarges until it bursts; this is usually a fatal event and accounts for 7000 deaths a year in the UK. AAAs are typically treated when they grow to 5.5cms in diameter, or greater, to avoid future risk of bursting or rupture. Rupture is associated with a high morbidity and 80-90% mortality. \n\nAge and male sex are the two well-known risk factors for AAA development. Currently the aortic diameter is the only feature that is used to predict the risk of rupture. The other recognised risk factors for continued expansion of the aneurysm include smoking, female gender and higher mean blood pressure. More recently developments in imaging have allowed other features of the AAA to be proposed as predictors of AAA growth and rupture risk; these include arterial wall stiffness, distensibility, intraluminal thrombus (ILT), wall tension and peak wall stress.\n\nPatients will be recruited from well established UHSM surveillance programme. Subjects identified from the aneurysm screening program with small aneurysms (AAA diameter between 3 to 5.5cm) and post- endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) will undergo 3-dimensional ultrasound (3D US) for measurement of aneurysm size, distensibility and peak wall stress. The aim is to relate distensibility and peak wall stress to AAA growth rate using 3D US. \n\nUltrasound technology is rapidly evolving, and new technology that allows real time ultrasound imaging is now available. 3D US is capable of producing images of AAA that are equal in image quality but superior in flow detection to CT. This can be achieved with no extra time and requires no additional ultrasound energy. Moreover, 3D ultrasound is cost effective as compared to CT.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/NW/0468
Date of REC Opinion
13 Aug 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion