To change your screening appointment call
We encourage all men to attend AAA screening when invited, although we would respect your decision not to be screened. If you choose not to take up your invitation, please contact us using the number above, so the appointment can be given to another patient. If you change your mind at any point in the future, please contact us and we will be happy to make you another appointment.
You can withdraw from the screening programme completely, this means you would not get called for future screening appointments, to do this contact us and we will explain the process.
What to do if you have concerns about your abdominal aorta
If you have any concerns about your abdominal aorta, or you have a brother, sister or parent who has had an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm then you should visit you GP. Your GP will be able to give you more information and refer you for tests if required.
What to expect at your screening appointment
Screening involves a simple pain-free test called an ultrasound scan to look for an aneurysm. The test is very quick, usually takes less than 10 minutes and you won’t need to undress for it. The scan will show a picture of the aorta on a screen and we will be able to measure it.
Find out more about our ultrasound scans.
Your results
We will tell you your result straight away. We will also send a copy of the result to your GP.
There are four possible results from the scan:
- No aneurysm found – If your aorta is less than 3cm, this means that you do not have an aneurysm. Most men will receive this result. No treatment or monitoring.
- Small aneurysm found – If we find a small aneurysm this means that the aorta is a little wider than normal– between 3.0cm and 4.4cm wide. We invite men with a small aneurysm back for regular scans every year to check that the aorta is not getting bigger. A Nurse Practitioner will also give you advice about your general health and aneurysm.
- Medium aneurysm found – If we find a medium aneurysm this means that the aorta is a fairly wider than normal– between 4.5cm and 5.4cm wide. We invite men with a medium aneurysm back for regular scans every 3 months to check that the aorta is not getting bigger. A Nurse Practitioner will also give you advice about your general health and aneurysm.
- Large aneurysm found – If we find a large aneurysm this means that the aorta is much wider than normal. Only a very small number of men have this result. We give men with a large aneurysm an appointment with a specialist team to have more scans and to talk about possible treatment options, usually an operation.