title: Imaging spectrum of CNS vasculitis.
abstract: Cerebral vasculitis is characterized by inflammation of the walls of blood vessels and may affect vessels of any size. The pathogenesis of vasculitis remains poorly understood. Vasculitis may affect large vessels (Takayasu arteritis, giant cell arteritis), medium-sized vessels (Kawasaki disease, polyarteritis nodosa), small vessels (immunoglobulin A vasculitis, microscopic polyangiitis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis), or variable-sized vessels (Behçet disease, Cogan syndrome). Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (CNS) is an idiopathic disorder with no evidence of generalized inflammation that may simulate reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndromes. Vasculitis may be secondary to systemic disease, infection, malignancy, drug use, or radiation therapy. Imaging findings vary from small ischemic changes to frank infarction, hemorrhage, and white matter edema and may show contrast material enhancement. The cerebral arteries may demonstrate a beaded appearance with variable degrees of stenosis, occlusion, and contrast enhancement of the vessel wall. Correlation of imaging findings with clinical presentation and laboratory test results helps establish the diagnosis of CNS vasculitis.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Diagnostic Radiology (A.A.K.A.R.) and Rheumatology (S.R.), Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Elgomheryia Street, Mansoura, Egypt 35512; and Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC (H.A., S.B., M.C.).
authors.forename: Ahmed Abdel Khalek
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdel Razek
authors.forename: Hortensia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bagg
authors.forename: Sherif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Refaat
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castillo
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D020293:Vasculitis, Central Nervous System / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*