Transthoracic ultrasound evaluation of Thoracic aortic aneurysms.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A prospective study to evaluate whether Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms can be detected and measured using Transthoracic Ultrasound in patient with diagnosed Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm
IRAS ID
304661
Contact name
Benjamin Patterson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust,
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 18 days
Research summary
The aorta is the main blood vessel which arises from the heart to transport blood to the rest of the body. The walls of these vessels can become weaker and the size of the vessel can increase over time which is called an aneurysm. If the aneurysm gets too big, it can burst and become life threatening for the patient.
There is currently a national screening programme to screen for abdominal aortic aneurysms which is a widening of the blood vessel in the stomach. They are screened for as they are asymptomatic until they rupture so it important to monitor the size of the aorta and offer an intervention when it reaches a certain threshold.
However, they can also occur in the thoracic aorta but are currently only detected when a patient has a CT scan or MRI scan. The majority of these are detected when a patient has an abdominal aorta aneurysms which measures 5.5cm to see if the patient is fit for surgery. They can also be detected as an incidental finding when a patient has a CT scan for other pathologies they might be experiencing.
Both CT and MRI imaging modalities are expensive, have radiation exposure and can cause anaphylaxis and other allergic reaction from the contract agents used. Ultrasound is a non-invasive imaging modality that is cheaper than the methods currently used for thoracic aortic aneurysm surveillance.
A previous study by D’Abate et al., found that ultrasound has the potential to be used as a diagnostic modality for thoracic aortic aneurysms, and may have a role in surveillance in patients for whom CT scanning is contraindicated. However, further validation of this methodology is required for it to be considered as a method of diagnosis and surveillance for this patient pathway.REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/PR/1716
Date of REC Opinion
22 Feb 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion