Regression of carotid wall thickening after corticosteroid therapy in Takayasu's arteritis evaluated by B-mode ultrasonography: report of 2 cases.
We describe 2 young Japanese female patients with active Takayasu's arteritis whose diagnosis was mainly based on the characteristic ultrasonographic finding, that is, a circumferential vascular wall thickening in common carotid arteries. Following corticosteroid therapy, serial ultrasonographic examination documented the improvement of their thickened carotid walls (in Case 1 from 1.4 to 0.5 mm after 2 months of therapy, in Case 2 from 1.5 to 0.9 mm after 9 months of therapy). These cases emphasize that ultrasonography is useful for evaluation of the therapeutic effect as well as for the diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis in its early stage.
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Y
Y
Fukudome
I
I
Abe
U
U
Onaka
K
K
Fujii
Y
Y
Ohya
M
M
Fukuhara
S
S
Kaseda
M
M
Esaki
M
M
Fujishima
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D001027:Aortography; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones