A POTENTIALLY life-saving ultrasound scan for screening a heart condition has been introduced at a private hospital in Worcester.

BUPA South Bank Hospital can now carry out the simple scan to screen for abdominal aortic aneurysms - a condition that is a weakness in the aorta, the main blood vessel that carries blood from the heart.

Every year, 6,000 men die from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in England and Wales.

However, with early detection, it is largely treatable, say health bosses at the Worcester hospital.

"The ultrasound scan, which takes just a few minutes to perform, could mean the difference between life and death for men who are not aware that they have this life-threatening condition," said Ben Nicholson, the hospital's general manager.

"We are fully committed to preventative healthcare and we are pleased that we are able to offer this potentially life-saving service to our patients."

The screen is aimed at men aged over 60 who are most at risk, he added.

An aneurysm in a blood vessel happens where a blood vessel wall has become weakened for some reason such as injury or disease and the blood vessel bulges as a result.

The section that is known as the aorta is the part that passes down from the heart through the body and into the legs.

The scanning procedure measures the diameter of the aorta and can identify whether there is any "bulging", which is a sign of weakness in the blood vessel.

Studies show that a single scan can rule out aneurysm disease for life in 95 per cent of men.

If the measurement reveals that the aorta is wider than normal, further options can include monitoring with regular ultrasound or, in some cases, surgery.

The Evening News this month reported that a study in the British Medical Journal revealed that ultrasound screening for aortic aneurysm could reduce deaths from the condition by 42 per cent.

The cost of the ultrasound scan is £95 and a GP referral is not necessary.