Association of intra-abdominal pathologies and vascular anomalies with infrarenal aortic aneurysm: a computed tomographic study.

The prevalence of potentially significant intra-abdominal pathologies or vascular anomalies in candidates for infrarenal aortic aneurysm repair remains unclear. This study retrospectively reviewed 130 consecutive patients with aortic aneurysms (4.5-10.0 cm in largest diameter) who had undergone contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography. The overall incidence of potentially significant pathologies was 31.5%. Gallstones were detected in 25 patients (19.2%), adrenal masses in six (4.6%), pancreatic tumors in two (1.5%), renal stones in two (1.5%), liver metastases in one (0.8%), retroperitoneal lymphoma in one (0.8%) and left gastric artery aneurysm in one (0.8%). Other pathologies included renal cysts in 42 patients (32.3%), colonic diverticulosis in nine (6.9%) and hepatic cysts in three (2.3%). Major vascular anomalies were encountered in only three of the 130 patients (2.3%) and these included two with a left-sided inferior vena cava and one case of retroaortic left renal vein. This study emphasizes the high incidence of potentially significant intra-abdominal pathologies and the low incidence of major vascular anomalies associated with infrarenal aortic aneurysm. The impact of such findings on the management of aortic aneurysms is discussed.