Ultrasonographic measurement of aortic diameter by emergency physicians approximates results obtained by computed tomography.

To assess agreement between emergency physicians' measurements of abdominal aortic diameter using ultrasound in the Emergency Department (ED) and measurements obtained by computed tomography (CT), a double-blinded, prospective study was conducted. The study enrolled a convenience sample of patients over 50 years of age presenting to the ED and scheduled to undergo CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis. Before CT scan, each patient received an ultrasound from a resident or attending emergency physician measuring anterior-posterior aortic diameter transversely at the approximate level of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), longitudinally midway between the SMA and the iliac bifurcation, and transversely approximately 1 cm above the iliac bifurcation.

Aortic emergencies.

Prompt recognition of actual or impending aortic emergencies is essential to the effective practice of emergency medicine. Understanding the pathophysiologic principles and awareness of the potential subtleties in the clinical presentations of aortic dissection, aneurysm, and occlusive disease are prerequisites to this task. Knowledge of current diagnostic modalities is also important if these entities are to be identified rapidly and managed efficiently to maximize the potential for a good patient outcome.