i'm oran frankel an emergency physician scanning the abdominal aorta is a cornerstone of management for patients who present with abdominal pain flank pain hypotension or syncope to perform the scan i'm going to use a curvilinear scanner on the abdomen preset i'll place it in transverse orientation just below the xiphoid process to start here i can identify clearly my vertebral shadow and just above it the pulsation of the aorta trying to maintain pressure and keep it going all the way down towards the legs decreasing depth as i go to maintain a clear image i can visualize the pulsating aorta all the way down towards this bifurcation into the iliac vessels being able to see the entire aorta helps me confidently assess whether or not this patient has an abdominal aortic aneurysm to facilitate my diagnosis and management of their ongoing care you
