ABSTRACT
Due to the evolution and ready availability o f noninvasive imaging modalities such as transabdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT), there has been a sevenfold increase in the detection of abdominal aortic aneurysms since 1950. It is also likely that there is a true increase in the prevalence o f aortic aneurys mal disease. Identification of asymptomatic aneurysms in large screening programs have revealed that approximately 1.7% of older men have abdominal aortic aneu rysms larger than 4.0 cm, with 25% of these greater than 6.0 cm.
