Current imaging techniques in large vessel vasculitis

Abstract

Instrumental imaging modalities play an important role in the diagnosis, evaluation of treatment efficacy and early detection of recurrences in patients with large vessel systemic vasculitis (SV). There’s no currently available universal imaging modality yielding comprehensive information about large vessels regardless all spectacular progress in rheumatology with associated significant insights into SV pathogenesis, innovative therapeutic strategies and broadened diagnostic approaches. Therefore, standardization of instrumental methods in order to accurately assess the disease activity and recognize timely its’ relapse remains a pending issue in management of patients with large vessel SV.Published in 2018 the EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) guidelines highlighted a wide range of problems concerning visualization of large vessel lesions in SV, resultant from a systematic analysis of up-to-date scientific achievements and clinical experience. The intent of this publication is to summarize the potential of available imaging modalities for patients with large vessel SV in the context of main provisions in the EULAR guidelines and discuss some controversial issues

Keywords

• large vessel vasculitis
• giant cell arteritis
• takayasu arteritis, aortitis
• doppler ultrasonography
• positron