title: [Ultrasound imaging of the abdominal aorta].
abstract: Abnormalities of the abdominal aorta and the visceral vessels can represent a diagnostic challenge in patients with both acute and chronic clinical symptoms. In addition to the primary conventional examination using color-coded duplex ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with low mechanical index (low MI) may contribute to achieving a precise diagnosis. CEUS is a new and promising method in the diagnosis and follow-up of aortic and visceral artery lesions. Color-coded duplex ultrasound and CEUS with SonoVue(R) allow a rapid and non-invasive diagnosis especially in critically ill patients as these methods can readily be applied at the bedside. In this article the contribution of color-coded duplex ultrasound and CEUS as compared to multi-slice computed tomography angiography (MS-CTA) in various pathologies of the abdominal aorta and the visceral arteries will be addressed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Klinische Radiologie, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Campus Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, München, Deutschland. Dirk.Clevert@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: D-A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Clevert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horng
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reiser
mesh_terms: D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*