Angiographic signs in specific vasculitides

Vasculitis, defined by inflammation in the blood vessel wall and reactive mural damage, may present with various clinical signs, depending on the organs involved. Infection, collagen vascular disease, and granulomatous disease or idiopathic inflammation of the vessels may result in various degrees of stenosis, obstruction, aneurysmal dilatation, or rupture. The definitive pathologic diagnosis is established by biopsy; however, the biopsy may pose significant risk to the patient; and the biopsy sample may not be adequate. Knowledge of the angiographic signs of various vasculitides should help in interpreting the clinical picture and reducing the need for biopsy. In this article, we describe the angiographic signs of the most common vasculitides, and review their clinical signs.