Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening
Why is Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening completed?
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening is done to check if there are any swellings (aneurysms) in the main blood vessel in your tummy (abdomen), called the aorta. The aorta runs from your heart down to your abdomen.
Picture of the human body showing an abdominal aortic aneurysm in the tummy. The aorta runs from the heart down to the tummy before separating into 2 branches and running down the legs.
AAA screening can help find an abdominal aortic aneurysm early. This means it can be monitored and treated, if needed, so it's less likely to burst (rupture), which can be life threatening.
Who is eligible?
- All men living in England are invited for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening the year they turn 65.
- AAA screening is recommended for anyone assigned male at birth. This includes men, trans women and non-binary people.
- You'll have the AAA screening test once, unless an aneurysm is found.
- Men are invited for AAA screening because they're more likely to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
How
- The main test to find out if you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an ultrasound scan of your tummy. It usually takes around 10 to 15 minutes and is painless.
- A small handheld device called a probe is placed on your tummy and images of the inside of your tummy will be shown on a screen.
- The medical professional doing the test will check for any bulges or swelling of the aorta.
- Sometimes it may not be possible to get a clear picture of your aorta. If this happens, you may need to have another scan.