Aorta Duplex Imaging

Most abdominal aortic aneurysms produce no symptoms. They are often discovered when abdominal ultrasounds and/or CT scans are ordered for other conditions. When they do produce symptoms, the most common one is pain. It generally feels as if it is boring into the person suffering from it. It is most prominently felt in the middle of the abdomen and frequently radiates to the back. The pain is usually steady but may sometimes can be relieved by changing positions. The patient may also report an abnormally prominent pulsing sensation in the abdomen.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms can remain asymptomatic, or they may produce mild to moderate symptoms for many years. A rapidly expanding abdominal aneurysm however, could possibly cause a sudden onset of severe, constant and worsening pain in the middle of the abdomen and back. A patient with a rapidly expanding aneurysm has an imminent risk of the aneurysm rupturing. The rupture of an abdominal aneurysm can cause the sudden onset of pain in the abdomen or back, which can be associated with abdominal distension, a pulsating abdominal mass, or even shock, which is severe low blood pressure caused by massive loss of blood.