Mr. martin is a 72-year-old smoker who comes to the clinic for a follow-up visit for hypertension. with deep palpation a pulsatile mass about 4 cm in diameter is palpable. what should the examiner do next? a) obtain abdominal ultrasound. b) reassess by examination in 6 months. c) refer to a vascular surgeon. d) reassess by examination in 3 months.

a) Obtain abdominal ultrasound.

Explanation:

In this patient pulsatile mass is required to be followed up with the abdominal ultrasound immediately. The risk of rupture of the aorta is around 15 times greater if the diameter of the aorta measures to be  4 centimeters.    

Abdominal ultrasound is a kind of imaging test. It is used to observe the organs of the abdomenal system, including the liver, spleen, pancreas, gallbladder and kidneys. The blood vessels that lead associated with these organs, such as the aorta and the vena cava, can also be observed through the ultrasound.

Thus the abdominal ultrasound can be an appropriate approach for this.