Evaluation of Predictors of Aortic Aneurysm Growth and Rupture

The goal is to non-invasively study the metabolic processes within the aortic wall that are thought to explain progression to clinical manifestations of an aortic aneurysm. Hypothesis is that the non-invasive imaging of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) with contrast ultrasound, coupled with serum biomarker measurements will allow the identification of the vulnerable aortic wall and patients who are at risk of AAA growth or rupture.