[Value and strategy of paraclinical studies in the diagnosis of aneurysm of the abdominal aorta]. / Valeur et stratégie des examens paracliniques pour le diagnostic des anévrysmes de l'aorte abdominale.

With the development of abdominal echotomography and computed tomography, the abdominal aortic aneurysm is no longer explored by arteriography alone. After a retrospective review of 167 patients with aneurysms, the authors propose a schematic diagnostic procedure in 4 arms: positive diagnosis, extension evaluation, emergency statement and follow-up of the aneurysm. The expenditure with these tools has to be considered because of the large deviations in cost price between them. Arteriography is still selectively used for exploration of renal segment but it can often be replaced by computed tomography which is cheaper, external, simply and repeatedly used.