Displaced plaque in retroperitoneal adenopathy.
BACKGROUND
This study was designed to determine when to consider incidental retroperitoneal masses on the basis of a displaced calcified atheromatous abdominal aorta on lateral radiographs.


METHODS
We did a retrospective review of 143 normal abdominal helical computed tomography scans of individuals aged 50 years and older to measure the distance between the posterior aortic wall and anterior cortex of vertebral bodies from T12 through L3.


RESULTS
The normal abdominal aorta maintains a close relationship to the vertebral column. The distance should not be more than 10 mm in men and 7.3 mm in women.


CONCLUSIONS
Displacement of aortic calcified atheroma greater than these distances should prompt a search for a retroperitoneal mass.
Al-Okaili
Riyadh N
RN
Department of Radiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA.
Schable
Stephen I
SI
Marlow
Troy J
TJ
D000368:Aged; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging