The abdominal aorta is the largest artery in the abdomen. It then bifurcates giving the two common iliac arteries. Knowing the normal abdominal aorta diameter is a basis for diagnosing abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and subsequently developing an optimal management plan. In order to diagnose AAA, one must have a reference for the normal abdominal aortic diameter that represents the anatomical variation in the population being studied. The aim of this research is to establish normal abdominal aortic diameters in the Saudi population.

Anemia affects approximately a quarter of the global population, and improved detection may reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. This study investigated correlations between the results of laboratory hematological determinations of hemoglobin levels and attenuation values measured in the lumina of the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava (IVC) via unenhanced computed tomography (CT) with the aim of expanding diagnostic options for anemia. The data of 423 patients who underwent abdominal unenhanced CT examinations and laboratory examinations at a tertiary hospital were retrospectively evaluated. CT data were collected using a standard abdominal protocol without contrast. The 151 patients who met the inclusion criteria were categorized by hemoglobin values as follows: 13 g/dL (non-anemic). The mean CT attenuation values in the aorta and IVC were 37.7 and 36.1 Hounsfield units (HU), respectively. A regression analysis performed to evaluate the correlation and predictability of hemoglobin-based aortic and IVC density yielded a coefficient of determination, R²: 0.42 (F ratio: 149.23, p < 0.0001). The highest contribution in the dependent variable (hemoglobin) was reported to IVC density, showing a significant positive correlation between hemoglobin and IVC density. Our study results demonstrate significant correlations between the densities of the aorta, IVC, and hemoglobin value. Accordingly, radiologists and clinicians can use these readily available values to facilitate diagnosis and patient care.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been linked to increased cardiovascular risk; however, whether RA independently contributes to subclinical atherosclerosis remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate carotid intima–media thickness (IMT) and carotid narrowing in RA patients compared with controls and to examine their associations with conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Methods: A total of 73 RA patients and 78 healthy controls underwent carotid Doppler ultrasonography to assess IMT and carotid narrowing. Non-parametric analyses were used for between-group comparisons, and associations with clinical variables were evaluated within the RA cohort. Results: The median age was 55 years (IQR: 43–63) in the RA group and 61 years (IQR: 51–68) in controls (p = 0.012). No significant differences were observed in median right CCA IMT (RA: 0.070 mm [IQR: 0.060–0.081] vs. controls: 0.068 mm [IQR: 0.050–0.076]; p = 0.619) or left CCA IMT (RA: 0.065 mm [IQR: 0.051–0.079] vs. controls: 0.065 mm [IQR: 0.050–0.074]; p = 0.701). The prevalence of carotid narrowing was also comparable between groups (right CCA: 15.1% vs. 11.5%, p = 0.633). Within the RA cohort, age was positively correlated with right CCA IMT (Spearman’s rho = 0.375, p = 0.001), and diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher prevalence of right CCA narrowing (34.8% vs. 6.0%, p = 0.003). Conclusions: Carotid IMT and narrowing were not significantly different between RA patients and controls. In this cohort, age and diabetes mellitus were more strongly associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis than RA status itself. These findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment in RA patients, particularly focusing on traditional risk factors.