Multidetector CT angiography in Takayasu arteritis.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the spectrum of Takayasu's arteritis (TA) on multidetector CT angiography (MDCTA).


METHODS
A retrospective analysis of the MDCTA findings was performed on 15 patients clinically diagnosed as Takayasu's arteritis. The spectrum and incidence of imaging findings on CTA were compared to studies in literature on catheter angiography in Takayasu's arteritis. Laboratory parameters were available in nine patients. The disease was considered active if erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels were elevated and 'C' reactive protein (CRP) was positive. An attempt was made to correlate disease activity with the imaging findings.


RESULTS
Ascending aorta, arch of aorta and descending thoracic aorta were involved in 14 out of 15 (93%) patients. The wall thickness varied between 1 and 10mm with maximal involvement in arch and descending thoracic aorta. Major neck vessels were involved in 11 (73%) patients with most pronounced changes seen in the brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery (CCA) and left subclavian artery (SCA). Abdominal aorta and its branches were involved in all the 11 (100%) patients in whom abdominal CTA was performed. Celiac axis and SMA were involved in 10 (91%) and seven (64%) patients, respectively while renal artery stenosis was present in five (45%) patients. In six patients, ESR was elevated and CRP was positive indicating active disease. All patients in whom the laboratory parameters were available showed mural thickening in the aorta and at least one of the neck vessels except for one patient with inactive disease who had aortic mural thickening only.


CONCLUSIONS
MDCTA provides information about both the vessel wall and lumen in patients with Takayasu's disease.
Khandelwal
Niranjan
N
Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.
Kalra
Naveen
N
Garg
Mandeep Kumar
MK
Kang
Mandeep
M
Lal
Anupam
A
Jain
Sanjay
S
Suri
Sudha
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult