Multimodality imaging of large-vessel vasculitis

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Radiology
• Immunology

Background:

• Large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting major arteries, often presenting with non-specific symptoms, making diagnosis challenging.
• Accurate diagnosis and monitoring of LVV are essential for effective clinical management and preventing severe cardiovascular complications.
• Conventional treatments aim to suppress inflammation, but identifying disease flares and residual arteritis requires precise monitoring.

Approach:

• This review focuses on the critical role of multimodality cardiovascular imaging in the comprehensive assessment of LVV.
• It examines how various non-invasive imaging modalities provide unique and complementary information for diagnosis, staging, and follow-up.
• The article highlights imaging's utility in detecting arterial inflammation, injury, and disease activity.

Key Points:

• Multimodality imaging is indispensable for confirming LVV diagnosis and assessing the extent and severity of arterial involvement.
• Imaging aids in screening for and managing cardiovascular complications associated with LVV.
• It plays a vital role in long-term disease monitoring, identifying flares, and assessing treatment response.

Conclusions:

• Multimodality imaging is a cornerstone in managing patients with large-vessel vasculitis.
• By visualizing arterial inflammation and injury, imaging guides therapeutic decisions and disease management strategies.
• Effective use of imaging can help prevent or slow disease progression and improve patient outcomes in LVV.