HEALTH TOPICS 
On call: A recommended screening test for men
On call
A recommended screening test for men
Q. I'll be turning 65 in a few months. I understand that men my age should have a test to check for bulging blood vessels. Can you explain the test and tell me if I should have it?
A. The test is an abdominal ultrasound, and it's a painless, risk-free way for doctors to obtain images of structures in the abdomen, including the body's largest artery, the aorta. Using the test for routine screening in American men is a 2005 recommendation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).
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