Ultrasonic aortography: unexpected findings.
In a series of 125 patients examined ultrasonically for suspected abdominal aortic aneurysms, 15 patients (12%) had intraabdominal abnormalities unrelated to the aorta. In 12 of these patients, a retroperitoneal malignancy clinically mimicked an aneurysm. In the remaining three, other abnormalities were discovered in addition to an aneurysm. In one patient, a large uterine myoma was visualized; in another, large retroperitoneal lymph nodes subsequently proved to be lymphoma; in the third, enlarged lymph nodes in association with a carcinoma of the colon were discovered. Because of the high incidence of unsuspected findings, ultrasonography should become an essential part of the evaluation of this group of patients.
D000368:Aged; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D014463:Ultrasonography