title: Diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for small abdominal aortic aneurysms.
abstract: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) affect 5% of the population in developed countries and are characterized by progressive aortic dilatation with an unpredictable time course. This condition is more common in men than in women, and in smokers than in nonsmokers. If left untreated, AAA can result in aortic rupture and death. Pathologically, aortic extracellular matrix degradation, inflammation, and neovascularization are hallmarks of AAA. Diagnosis of AAA and subsequent surveillance utilize established aortic imaging methods, such as ultrasound, CT, and MRI. More-speculative diagnostic approaches include molecular and cellular imaging methods that interrogate the underlying pathological processes at work within the aneurysm. In this Review, we explore the current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the management of AAA. We also describe the diagnostic potential of new imaging techniques and therapeutic potential of new treatments for the management of small AAA.
authors.affiliation: Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 1428 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klink
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hyafil
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rudd
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faries
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fuster
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mallat
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Meilhac
authors.forename: Willem J M
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Mulder
authors.forename: Jean-Baptiste
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Storm
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Irene C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Turnbull
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Egido
authors.forename: Jose L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Martín-Ventura
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zaragoza
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Letourneur
authors.forename: Zahi A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Fayad
mesh_terms: D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001027:Aortography; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D057510:Endovascular Procedures; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents