The role of ultrasound in the diagnosis and follow-up of large-vessel vasculitis: an update

• Published in: Clinical and experimental rheumatology 2017-03, Vol.35 Suppl 103 (1), p.194-198
• Main Authors: Germanò, Giuseppe, Monti, Sara, Ponte, Cristina, Possemato, Niccolo', Caporali, Roberto, Salvarani, Carlo, Macchioni, Pierluigi, Pipitone, Nicolò
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biopsy; Giant Cell Arteritis - diagnostic imaging; Giant Cell Arteritis - pathology; Giant Cell Arteritis - therapy; Humans; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Reproducibility of Results; Severity of Illness Index; Takayasu Arteritis - diagnostic imaging; Takayasu Arteritis - pathology; Takayasu Arteritis - therapy; Temporal Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Temporal Arteries - pathology; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color - methods
• ISSN: 0392-856X

Large-vessel vasculitides comprise giant cell arteritis and Takayasu's arteritis. In both conditions, early changes consist of transmural inflammation of the arterial wall, while later complications include lumen changes, such as stenoses or aneurysms. Colour Doppler sonography has the ability to depict the arterial wall as well as the lumen, and is therefore ideally suited both to diagnose early vasculitis and to monitor patients over time. In this review article, we addressed the following issues: 1) the role of colour Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of large-vessel vasculitis and its common pitfalls; 2) whether colour Doppler sonography can increase the yield of temporal artery biopsy in giant cell arteritis; 3) the role of colour Doppler sonography in monitoring patients with LVV over time; and 4) how colour Doppler sonography performs compared to other imaging techniques.