Vascular imaging

Many rheumatic diseases affect the vasculature, either as a 'primary' manifestation of the disease process (as in vasculitis or scleroderma-spectrum disorders) or as a result of accelerated atherosclerosis. Recent years have seen very major developments in, and refinements of, vascular imaging methods. It is likely that this pace of development will continue, enhancing the rheumatologist's ability to diagnose different musculoskeletal conditions and follow their progression, using minimally invasive techniques. In this chapter, we describe these recent advances in vascular imaging techniques, concentrating on those most relevant to the practising clinician, but also discussing methods which are being used in clinical research. Three main groups of imaging modalities are described: large vessel imaging (X-ray, magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) angiography), nailfold microscopy and thermography. For each of these, the method(s) and then the clinical and research applications are discussed. Laser Doppler, a research technique, is also described.