At present, the diameter of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is considered to be the primary indicator of rupture risk. Surgical treatment is usually not considered before the diameter exceeds 5 cm, but rupture does occur for diameters less than 5 cm. We investigate if better rupture risk indicators can be obtained by patient-specific hemodynamic modeling. This paper discusses the steps involved in this modeling and describes our initial results for each of the steps. (C) 2004 CARS and Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.