Screening check
Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening: should I get the ultrasound?
An aneurysm in the main artery of the belly usually causes no symptoms until it bursts. A single, painless ultrasound can find it first. Your age, sex, smoking history and family decide whether the scan is recommended for you.
About you
For adults without symptoms. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
What you will see
Which USPSTF recommendation fits you, from a recommended one-time ultrasound to no routine screening, and whether Medicare covers the scan for you.
Educational only, not medical advice. Screening decisions are made with your doctor.
Source
US Preventive Services Task Force, December 2019 recommendation. Medicare Part B coverage rules for abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.
Validated in
Adults with no symptoms of an aneurysm. The USPSTF recommendations for men and for women who smoked or have a family history cover ages 65 to 75.
Limits
It does not estimate your chance of having an aneurysm and does not read a scan result. It does not cover aneurysms in the chest or elsewhere, or people with symptoms, who need a doctor now rather than screening.
What the USPSTF recommends
| Who | Recommendation | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Men 65 to 75 who have ever smoked | One-time screening with ultrasound | B |
| Men 65 to 75 who have never smoked | Offer selectively, not to everyone | C |
| Women 65 to 75 who have ever smoked or have a family history | Not enough evidence to recommend for or against | I |
| Women who have never smoked and have no family history | Do not screen routinely | D |
"Ever smoked" means 100 or more cigarettes in your life (USPSTF 2019). The screening test is an abdominal ultrasound, done once. It finds 94% to 100% of aneurysms, does not hurt and uses no radiation (USPSTF 2019).
What an abdominal aortic aneurysm is
The aorta is the body's largest artery. An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the part that runs through the belly, usually defined as a width of 3.0 cm or more (USPSTF 2019). Most cause no symptoms until they burst, and up to 81% of people die when one bursts (USPSTF 2019).
The main risk factors are older age, being male, smoking and a parent, brother, sister or child with an aneurysm (USPSTF 2019). Smoking is the strongest: it predicts who gets an aneurysm, how fast it grows and whether it bursts, and the more someone has smoked, the higher the risk. A close relative with an aneurysm doubles the risk (USPSTF 2019). Other vascular disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure also raise it.
Why screening helps men who smoked
Four large trials invited about 134,000 people, mostly men 65 and older, to a single ultrasound. Being invited cut deaths from aneurysms by about 35%. About 305 men had to be screened to prevent one aneurysm death (USPSTF 2019). Between 4.0% and 7.6% of the men screened had an aneurysm, and most were small (USPSTF 2019).
Only one trial included women. It found aneurysms in 1.3% of them and no clear benefit, but it was too small to settle the question. That is why the USPSTF calls the evidence for women who smoked insufficient, and advises against routine screening for women who never smoked and have no family history (USPSTF 2019).
What the size means
The chance that an aneurysm bursts depends on its width (USPSTF 2019):
| Width | Yearly chance of bursting |
|---|---|
| 3.0 to 3.9 cm | Nearly 0% |
| 4.0 to 4.9 cm | About 1% |
| 5.0 to 5.9 cm | About 11% |
Small aneurysms are usually watched with repeat scans. Repair is standard for men with an aneurysm of 5.5 cm or more, or one over 4.0 cm that grew by 1.0 cm in a year. The size for repair in women may be lower (USPSTF 2019).
Common questions
At what age should men get screened for AAA?
Between 65 and 75, once, if they have ever smoked. Men in that age group who never smoked can discuss it with their doctor (USPSTF 2019).
How often is AAA screening done?
Once. The trials used a single scan, and men whose first scan was normal (under 3 cm) rarely died of an aneurysm over the next 5 to 12 years (USPSTF 2019).
Does Medicare cover an AAA screening?
Yes, once in your lifetime if you are at risk: you have a family history of abdominal aortic aneurysm, or you are a man 65 to 75 who has smoked at least 100 cigarettes. You need a referral, and you pay nothing if your provider accepts assignment (Medicare).
I quit smoking years ago. Does that count?
Yes. The recommendation is for anyone who has ever smoked 100 or more cigarettes, however long ago (USPSTF 2019).
Also see all screening tests by age, the lung cancer screening check, the heart risk calculator, the blood pressure ranges and the osteoporosis screening check.
Sources
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2019;322(22):2211-2218. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-screening
- Medicare.gov. Abdominal aortic aneurysm screenings (Part B preventive service). www.medicare.gov/coverage/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-screenings
Written and maintained by the uncovermyrisk.com editorial team. We do not have a medical reviewer; every claim links to its primary source above. Last reviewed: 2026-10-29. Spotted an error? See About.