PIUR tUS for abdominal aortic aneurysm surveillance and endovascular aneurysm repair endoleak detection

The technology described in this briefing is PIUR tUS (3D tomographic ultrasound). It is for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surveillance and endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) endoleak detection or surveillance.

The innovative aspects of the technology are the 3D imaging that can be used with any ultrasound device. This can extend the image to cover the entire length of a blood vessel at once.

The intended place in therapy would be as well as ultrasound scans for AAA surveillance and instead of CT or MRI scans for EVAR endoleak detection or surveillance. The technology can be used in primary care and in tertiary referral centres.

The main points from the evidence summarised in this briefing are from 2 studies including 120 adults immediately after EVAR. They show that PIUR tUS is at least as effective as CT scans for endoleak detection after EVAR.

Key uncertainties around the evidence or technology is that all evidence published on PIUR tUS is on infra-renal AAA. No conclusions can be drawn for people with complex, juxta or suprarenal AAAs.

The cost of PIUR tUS is £43,000 per unit (exclusive of VAT). The resource impact could be less than standard care because of a reduced need for CT scans, but there is no published evidence to support this.