title: Imaging of vasculitis: State of the art.
abstract: The increasing availability and improvement of imaging techniques are making a profound impact in the evaluation and management of patients with vasculitis, particularly for those with large vessel vasculitis, and will most likely play an ever more important role in the future. Deep, large vessels can be examined by CT or MRI, while ultrasound is the method of choice for the evaluation of superficial vessels (such as temporal, carotid, and axillary arteries). PET is very sensitive in detecting large vessel inflammation, but it does not delineate the vessel wall. Imaging studies can also be used to monitor the disease course and the development of late vascular complication. This review will focus on the role of imaging studies in diagnosing and monitoring LVV, but will also mention their principal applications in medium and small-sized vessel vasculitis. Indications and limitations of the available imaging modalities will be discussed as well.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera ASMN, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Muratore
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera ASMN, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pipitone
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera ASMN, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Reggio Emilia, Italy. Electronic address: salvarani.carlo@asmn.re.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salvarani
authors.affiliation: Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Medical Centre for Rheumatology Berlin-Buch, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Color duplex ultrasonography; Computed tomography; Imaging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Positron emission tomography; Ultrasound; Vasculitis