2020 Volume 35 Issue 4 Pages 603-611
Objectives: In recent years, the incidence of cerebral cardiovascular disease (CVD) has increased due to the rapid aging of the population in Japan and westernization of lifestyles. Therefore, the initiatives to combat CVD have become an urgent issue. Abdominal vascular findings obtained through abdominal ultrasonography were investigated, and issues requiring future medical examinations were considered.
Method: Overall, 10,594 individuals who underwent abdominal ultrasonography from 2015 to 2017 were enrolled in this study; their abdominal artery findings and background factors were investigated.
Results: Abdominal ultrasonography revealed abdominal aortic aneurysms in 8 patients (0.08%), common iliac artery aneurysms in 4 patients (0.04%), and visceral artery aneurysms in 6 patients (0.06%) (splenic artery in 2, renal artery in 3, and right gastroepiploic artery in 1 patient). In addition, penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers (PAUs) of the abdominal aorta were found in 10 patients (0.09%). Atherosclerosis was severe in the abdominal aorta and iliac artery lesions but hardly noticeable in the visceral artery aneurysms.
Conclusion: The indication of arterial disease with abdominal ultrasonography in medical examinations has significance in terms of reducing mortality from CVD and extending healthy life expectancy. For the indication of visceral artery aneurysms, it is important to perform Color Doppler and Fast Fourier Transform analysis for anechoic masses that cannot be confidently identified as cysts. When scanning the abdominal aorta, it is necessary, as much as possible, to scan the periphery of the iliac artery for the evaluation of PAU precursor lesions and PAU/aneurysms, while checking for the existence of subintimal hypoechoic images, in cases diagnosed with stenosis in the: celiac artery, superior mesenteric artery, origin of the renal artery or iliac artery, and arteries with noticeable atherosclerosis.
