Takayasu arteritis: imaging spectrum at multidetector CT angiography.

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Radiology
• Inflammatory Diseases

Background:

• Takayasu arteritis is a chronic, idiopathic inflammatory condition affecting large arteries, including the aorta and its branches.
• Inflammation causes vessel wall thickening, fibrosis, thrombus formation, leading to stenosis, occlusion, remodeling, or aneurysms.
• Six types of Takayasu arteritis are classified based on arterial involvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate the multidetector CT angiography (MDCT-A) appearances of Takayasu arteritis.
• To discuss the differential diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis based on imaging findings.

Main Methods:

• Pictorial review of multidetector CT angiography (MDCT-A) findings.
• Correlation of imaging findings with disease characteristics and classification.

Main Results:

• Detailed description of characteristic MDCT-A features of Takayasu arteritis.
• Presentation of diverse vascular manifestations including stenosis, occlusion, and aneurysms.
• Illustrations of different Takayasu arteritis types based on arterial involvement.

Conclusions:

• Multidetector CT angiography is crucial for diagnosing Takayasu arteritis.
• Recognizing specific imaging patterns aids in differential diagnosis and classification.