The popliteal aneurysm as the cause of an acute arterial obliteration pattern is sometimes misinterpreted or overlooked. However, if a femoropopliteal aneurysm is confirmed, the therapeutic approach is substantially different. The article reports on the results of the radiological diagnosis of 17 popliteal aneurysms and the diagnostic relevance of the applied imaging processes is discussed. Real-time sonography and angiography complement each other in their findings and prove to be an indispensable part of preoperative diagnosis.