Abstract
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a diagnostic challenge. The correct diagnosis is needed for immediate initiation of corticosteroid treatment since blindness is a dreaded complication. Typically, the superficial cranial arteries are affected by this granulomatous vasculitis of large- and medium-sized arteries. However, GCA is not limited to the cranial arteries. Involvement of various arteries such as the cervical and thoracic arteries can also occur. Here, we report a case of histologically proven GCA with cranial and extracranial involvement. We illustrate the usefulness of a comprehensive vascular high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging examination that combines assessment of mural inflammatory changes of the small temporal and occipital arteries with the evaluation of extracranial vasculature to assist in the difficult non-invasive diagnosis and to determine the extent of this inflammatory disease.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 448-450 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Clinical Rheumatology |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2007 |
Funding
Acknowledgements The study group was supported by Das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) grant BMBF/KNR 01 91/9949 and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) grant no. MA 2383/3-1. The authors have no conflicts of interest.
Keywords
- Giant cell arteritis
- MRA
- MRI
- Mural inflammation
- Temporalartery
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Rheumatology