Ultrasonography of the Abdominal Aorta: The Right Flank vs the EPI-Mesogastric Windows.
Ultrasonography of the abdominal aorta should be performed as part of a complete echocardiographic study. As visualization may be difficult from the epi-mesogastric (E-M) window because of obesity or distension, we evaluated the feasibility of the right flank (RF) as an alternative acoustic window in 100 patients (62 male, 38 female, aged 7-83 years). Compared with the E-M window, our results showed that the right flank was significantly better in imaging of the infrarenal aorta: 89% (RF) vs 75% (E-M) (p < 0.05); right renal artery: 84% vs 71% (p < 0.05); and right renal artery Color Doppler: 84% vs 71% (p < 0.05). The Doppler sonification angle for the right proximal renal artery was 0 degrees-31 degrees (mean 12.7 degrees +/- 4.2 degrees) vs 64 degrees-76 degrees (mean 70.6 degrees +/- 4.1 degrees); for the left proximal renal artery 0 degrees-35 degrees (mean 23.1 degrees +/- 6.6 degrees) vs 62 degrees-73 degrees (mean 68.3 degrees +/- 4.2 degrees). Images obtained from the right flank were often of better quality than those obtained from the abdominal window because of a superior definition of acoustic interfaces and a better performance of Color Doppler sampling. Thus, the right flank could be considered a good alternative window for the echographic study of the abdominal aorta.
Cardiology Unit, Sarteano General Hospital, Sarteano (Siena), Italy
G
Barretta
F
Bui
G
Bidi
U
Giannotti
G
Giappichini