Severe supraaortal atherosclerotic disease resembling Takayasu’s Arteritis

Abstract

Bernhard Kis1,2, Thomas Liebig3,4, Peter Berlit11Department of Neurology, Alfried Krupp Hospital, Essen, Germany; 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; 3Department of Neuroradiology, Alfried Krupp Hospital, Essen, Germany; 4Department of Neuroradiology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, GermanyAbstract: We report a case of a 64 year-old man whose clinical presentation and neuroimaging findings strikingly resembled those found in Takayasu’s Arteritis which is characterized by the triad of absent radial pulses, ischemic retinopathy, and carotid sinus hyperreflexia causing syncopes. Angiographically, the patient exhibited severe atherosclerotic changes of the supraaortic large vessels. Stent-assisted angioplasty resulted in both clinical improvement and increased cerebral blood flow as measured by angiography and ultrasound.Keywords: Takayasu’s arteritis, atherosclerosis, angiography, stent, angioplasty