Which aneurysm type is described as a localized outpouching that may have a small stalk?

Which aneurysm type is described as a localized outpouching that may have a small stalk?

• A. Fusiform aneurysm
• B. Saccular aneurysm
• C. Dissecting aneurysm
• D. Mycotic aneurysm

Answer: (B)

Aneurysm shapes on ultrasound reflect how the vessel is dilated. A localized outpouching that projects from the vessel with a small connecting neck is the classic description of a saccular aneurysm. The term “saccular” evokes a berry-like sac attached by a narrow stalk to the parent vessel, which is what you’d expect to see as a discrete pouch rather than a uniform widening of the entire vessel. In contrast, a fusiform aneurysm stretches around the whole circumference of the vessel, giving a spindle-shaped dilation along a segment rather than a distinct sac. A dissecting aneurysm involves a tear in the vessel wall with blood separating wall layers, creating a false lumen rather than a simple pouch. A mycotic aneurysm refers to an infectious process and can be either saccular or fusiform in appearance, but the key descriptor here is the focal pouch with a neck, which points to a saccular aneurysm.

Aneurysm shapes on ultrasound reflect how the vessel is dilated. A localized outpouching that projects from the vessel with a small connecting neck is the classic description of a saccular aneurysm. The term “saccular” evokes a berry-like sac attached by a narrow stalk to the parent vessel, which is what you’d expect to see as a discrete pouch rather than a uniform widening of the entire vessel.

In contrast, a fusiform aneurysm stretches around the whole circumference of the vessel, giving a spindle-shaped dilation along a segment rather than a distinct sac. A dissecting aneurysm involves a tear in the vessel wall with blood separating wall layers, creating a false lumen rather than a simple pouch. A mycotic aneurysm refers to an infectious process and can be either saccular or fusiform in appearance, but the key descriptor here is the focal pouch with a neck, which points to a saccular aneurysm.