Defining a master curve of abdominal aortic aneurysm growth and its potential utility of clinical management

Objective: The maximum diameter measurement of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), which depends on orthogonal and axial cross-sections or maximally inscribed spheres within the AAA, plays a significant role in the clinical decision making process. This study aims to build a total of 21 morphological parameters from longitudinal CT scans and analyze their correlations. Furthermore, this work explores the existence of a master curve of AAA growth, and tests which parameters serve to enhance its predictability for clinical use. Methods: 106 CT scan images from 25 Korean AAA patients were retrospectively obtained. We subsequently computed morphological parameters, growth rates, and pair-wise correlations, and attempted to enhance the predictability of the growth for high-risk aneurysms using non-linear curve fitting and least square minimization. Results: An exponential AAA growth model was fitted to the maximum spherical diameter, as the best representative of the growth among all parameters (r-square: 0.94) and correctly predicted to 15 of 16 validation scans based on a 95% confidence interval. AAA volume expansion rates were highly correlated (r = 0.75) with thrombus accumulation rates. Conclusions: The exponential growth model using spherical diameter provides useful information about progression of aneurysm size and enables AAA growth rate extrapolation during a given surveillance period. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study analyzed morphological parameters of abdominal aortic aneurysm using CT scans and found that an exponential growth model fitted to the maximum spherical diameter was the best predictor of AAA growth. The model provides valuable information about aneurysm progression and growth rate extrapolation.