Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Endoleak Identification and Classification

Plain-language summary

Surgery for abdominal aortic pathology usually occurs in the setting of advanced cardiovascular disease. The repair can be relatively simple or complex with multiple steps including open repair, placing a stent with a catheter, and placing a complicated stent that allows for crossing vessels without occluding them. All these repairs require imaging follow up. The most commonly accepted tool for follow up is Computed Tomography (CT) scan which involves ionizing radiation and potentially nephrotoxic iodinated contrast. Recommendations for the time interval for follow up, as well the radiology imaging technique vary. Routine ultrasound with Doppler, CT, and MRI has all been employed utilizing various imaging protocols. Clinicians use non-contrast CT, arterial phase and delayed phase CT, ultrasound, and various combinations based on personal experience and patient pathology. Concerns over cost, potential nephrotoxicity of contrast agents and repeated radiation exposure has led to investigation of alternate imaging modalities such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). CEUS represents an improvement of ultrasound imaging but comparisons against CT report widely varying results, likely due to technical factors of CEUS and limitations of single-phase CTA. Contrast ultrasound has been used effectively to diagnose leaks in the aorta post repair and is without the radiation and potential nephrotoxicity of iodinated contrast. Of yet, no large prospective studies have compared CT and contrast US and no studies have looked at the more complicated staged or fenestrated repairs. This study proposes to perform a contrast ultrasound at the same time as a contrast CT using a standardized protocol. This protocol would include a non-contrast CT, angiographic CT, and a CT in a delayed phase in all patients as standard of care. We will compare the results of a contrast US with the various data derived from a three phase CT.

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