Noninvasive Estimation of Wall Strength Distribution in Human Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an irreversible focal dilation of the infrarenal aorta. If left untreated, AAA will continue to expand and eventually rupture. Ruptured AAA is ranked as the 13^th leading cause of death in the United States [1]. Accurate prediction of AAA rupture is critical for patient management. From a biomechanical point of view, this occurs when the stress in the aneurysm wall exceeds its strength. Therefore, reliable assessment of the risk of AAA rupture demands information on wall stress as well as wall strength.