[1][2] SAM most commonly affects the arteries supplying the intestines and abdominal organs.
Gastrointestinal System:[3] Nervous System[3] The most severe signs occur if an aneurysm ruptures potentially resulting in:[4] Often Segmental Arterial Mediolysis is diagnosed after clinical presentation with symptoms as above followed by CT angiogram or MRI demonstrating aneurysm(s).
[4] The gold standard method for confirming the diagnosis is surgical resection of the affected area of blood vessel followed by histologic investigation under a microscope.
[3] Segmental Arterial Mediolysis must be differentiated from fibromuscular dysplasia, atherosclerosis, and other systemic vasculidites including polyarteritis nodosa, Takayasu's arteritis, Behcet's disease, cystic medial necrosis, and cystic adventitial artery disease.
[4] Patients presenting with bleeding into the abdominal cavity require possible blood transfusions and emergent intervention with coil embolization via catheter angiography.