Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Scan in London
A measurement of the body’s largest artery — the check the NHS offers men at 65, available here to anyone who wants the answer sooner. Normal means immediate peace of mind; dilated means a plan, measured against national thresholds.
- The aorta measured along its course, exactly as the NHS programme does
- 30-minute unhurried appointment — most clinics allow 20
- Graded against national surveillance thresholds
- Findings explained at the scan; written report usually within two hours
- No GP referral required — self-refer today
CQC-registered clinic · Provider ID 1-2775844974 · HCPC-registered sonographers
What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm scan?
A short, painless ultrasound of the abdomen that measures the diameter of the abdominal aorta along its course — exactly as the NHS AAA screening programme does. A normal aorta measures under 3cm; anything larger is graded by size, because size drives everything that follows: surveillance intervals, referral thresholds and, at the top end, surgical assessment. Preparation is minimal, though fasting for a few hours improves the view by reducing bowel gas — the preparation guide has the detail. If you would like the full upper abdomen assessed at the same visit, the combined abdominal examination covers both.
Why might I need an aortic aneurysm scan?
Our AAA list is dominated by three groups: men who missed — or fall outside — the NHS screening invitation at 65 and want the check done anyway; younger men with a stark family history of aneurysms, where waiting for an age threshold feels absurd; and, increasingly, proactive women, who are outside the NHS programme entirely but not outside the disease, particularly with family or smoking history.
An aneurysm typically causes no symptoms at all until it is dangerous. That is precisely why measurement, not vigilance, is the answer — and why the dangerous aneurysm is the unmeasured one.
Sudden, severe abdominal or back pain, especially with faintness, sweating or collapse, can signal a leaking aneurysm. That is a 999 emergency measured in minutes, and no scan booking ever comes first.
- Men over 65
- Missed NHS screening
- Family history of aneurysm
- Smoking history
- Women with risk factors
- Aortic diameter
- Length of any dilatation
- Iliac arteries
- Wall appearance
- Comparison with prior scans
Is this scan suitable for me?
An aortic measurement is the right booking if any of these sound like you:
- ✓You are a man over 65 who missed or never received the NHS screening invitation
- ✓A parent or sibling has had an aortic aneurysm
- ✓You are a woman with family or smoking history — never invited, but not immune
- ✓A previous scan measured borderline and you want surveillance done on your own schedule
And when it is not the right booking
Sudden severe abdominal or back pain with faintness — 999, immediately. That is a possible leak and it is measured in minutes.
Your NHS invitation has just arrived — take it. It is excellent, evidence-based and free. We exist for everywhere the programme does not reach, not to duplicate it.
If the NHS programme covers you, we will tell you to use it — before you book, not after.
What happens during the appointment?
Thirty unhurried minutes for a measurement that takes a fraction of that — because the conversation around the number matters as much as the number.
- 1
Settling and gelYou lie flat, gel on the abdomen, and the aorta is located below the diaphragm.
- 2
Measured along its courseDiameter recorded at multiple levels down to the bifurcation, in two planes, exactly as the screening protocol requires.
- 3
Iliac arteries checkedThe vessels the aorta divides into are assessed, since dilatation can extend beyond the aorta itself.
- 4
The number, in contextYour measurement explained against the national thresholds, with the surveillance interval or referral it implies stated plainly.
Why size drives every decision
An aortic aneurysm is not a yes-or-no diagnosis. It is a number on a scale, and the number decides what happens next.
Under 3cm
A normal aorta. The measurement becomes your documented baseline, which makes any future check far more meaningful than a first-time scan.
3cm and above
Graded dilatation, managed by surveillance at intervals set by size. Most aneurysms found this way are simply measured on a schedule for years and never cause trouble.
The upper thresholds
Larger measurements warrant vascular surgical opinion. Found early and measured regularly, that is a planned conversation rather than an emergency.
Two conversations: normal, and dilated
An aneurysm found on a routine scan is overwhelmingly a managed condition. The dangerous aneurysm is the unmeasured one.
Use the NHS programme if you are invited
The NHS AAA screening programme — one scan for men in their 65th year — is excellent, evidence-based and free. If your invitation arrives, take it.
Where we fit is everywhere the programme does not reach: men before 65 or who missed their window, women (never invited, not immune), anyone with family history wanting earlier reassurance, and anyone found borderline who wants surveillance at a time and place that suits them.
Complement, never substitute.
An aneurysm gives no warning until it is dangerous. Thirty minutes settles the question.
Why patients choose IUS London for this
The same protocol the national programme uses, available to everyone it does not cover.
Screening-protocol measurement
Measured along the aorta in two planes, exactly as the NHS programme specifies — so your number is comparable to theirs.
Honest about the NHS route
If your invitation is due, we will tell you to take it. We complement the programme rather than competing with it.
Women are not excluded here
The national programme screens men only. Aneurysms occur in women too, less often but with worse outcomes when missed.
A baseline worth keeping
Your measurement is documented so future checks compare against your own aorta, not a population average.
Why do patients choose IUS London?
Rated 4.9 across 476 Google reviews:
“Yianni was very helpful, knowledgeable and put me very much at ease. I will be going back and very much recommend.”
— Google review
“The staff were professional and made me feel comfortable. Highly recommend it!”
— Google review
“Amazing service. If you are looking for a clinic … this is the place to go.”
— Google review
AAA scans — your questions answered
How much does a private AAA scan cost?
I am a woman — is this scan relevant to me?
What happens if an aneurysm is found?
I had the NHS scan at 65 — do I ever need another?
Do I need to fast?
Do I need a referral?
Other vascular ultrasound scans we offer
Carotid Artery Scan — £189
Stroke risk assessed: the neck arteries mapped for plaque and any narrowing precisely quantified.
View service →
DVT Scan — £179
A swollen or painful calf checked groin to ankle, with same-day NHS handover if a clot is found.
View service →
All Vascular Ultrasound Scans
Live Doppler haemodynamics, measured with discipline, from £139.
View service →
Further reading: vascular disease explained · the well-man scan, which includes the aorta as standard
Where can you get an AAA scan in London?
At IUS London — our CQC-registered clinic in Kensington, three minutes on foot from Notting Hill Gate station (Central, Circle and District lines).
5a Lucerne Mews, Kensington, London W8 4ED
30-minute appointments — short notice welcome
0203 051 6506 · Directions & parking
Getting here is the easy part
By tube: Notting Hill Gate — three minutes on foot.
By bus: Routes along Notting Hill Gate and Kensington Church Street stop nearby.
By car: On-street parking nearby — full options in directions & parking.
One measurement. Settled.
The aortic check for everyone the screening programme does not reach. Self-refer today — no GP letter required.
Kensington, London W8 4ED
3 mins from Notting Hill Gate
Written and clinically reviewed by the HCPC-registered sonographers who perform this scan at IUS London — a CQC-registered diagnostic ultrasound clinic (Provider ID 1-2775844974). Your own findings are explained to you at the scan and set out in your report.
Author: Yianni Kiromitis, Senior Sonographer, HCPC RA38415
Medically reviewed: 26 July 2026