RT Journal
A1 Friend GB
T1 DIagnosing abdominal aortic aneurysm
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 1999
FD June 2
VO 281
IS 21
SP 1989
OP 1989
DO 10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-281-21-jbk0602
UL http://dx.doi.org/10-1001/pubs.JAMA-ISSN-0098-7484-281-21-jbk0602
AB 
To the Editor: Drs Lederle and
Simel1 state "the only physical examination maneuver of
demonstrated value for the diagnosis of an AAA is abdominal
palpation." This is not quite accurate. I have found that visual
observation of the relaxed abdominal wall in medium and large AAAs
often gives the examiner a sense of a pulsatile mass in the mid
abdomen, especially if the clinician observes the abdominal wall
somewhat tangentially from the patient's side, rather than from
directly over the patient's abdomen. When this finding is demonstrated
to medical students and residents, it is quite instructive for them to
actually visualize the location of the pulsatile mass in the central
abdomen.