title: The prevalence and distribution of the atherosclerotic plaques in the abdominal aorta and its branches.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was to determine the existence, distribution, type and burden of the atherosclerotic plaques which are found in the abdominal aorta, its branches and the branching points.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and sixty-one patients (117 female, 144 male; mean age 53.34 ± 16.02, range 12-84) who underwent dual-source computed tomography angiography (CTA) were retrospectively analysed. The prevalence and distribution of the plaques in the proximal, middle and distal parts of abdominal aorta and its branches; coeliac trunk, superior and inferior mesenteric arteries, renal arteries, splenic artery and common, external and internal iliac arteries and in the aortic orifices, the type and severity of these plaques and their relations with age and gender were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study, 69.3% of the patients had atherosclerotic plaques, mostly at the distal part of abdominal aorta. The existence of the plaques increased with age. The types of these plaques were mixed (43%), calcified (24%) and soft (3%). Mixed and calcified plaques were more common in the abdominal aorta and its branches, respectively. All of the arteries except for inferior mesenteric artery mostly had mild plaques. The plaques at the branching points, which were most frequently localised in the aortic bifurcation, were found in the 41.8% of the patients. The plaques in the branches were usually accompanied by atherosclerosis of abdominal aorta.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dual-source CTA enables mapping of atherosclerotic burden in abdominal arteries. Knowing the localisation, type and severity of the atherosclerotic plaques can be important to predict the clinical results and choose the proper treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. crngnc5er@gmail.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Günenç Beşer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karcaaltıncaba
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Çelik
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Başar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D002445:Celiac Artery; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D015995:Prevalence; D013157:Splenic Artery; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: abdominal aorta; atherosclerosis; atherosclerotic plaques; dual-source computed tomography angiography; vascular anatomy