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[Cerebral angiography in collagen disease and arteritis of different aetiology (author's transl)]
Insights
Cerebral angiograms can suggest collagen diseases like polyarteritis nodosa and lupus erythematosus. However, angiography alone has limitations in definitively diagnosing these conditions or differentiating them from other cerebral arteritis causes.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Collagen diseases can affect cerebral vasculature.
- Cerebral arteritis presents diagnostic challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility of cerebral angiography in collagen diseases.
- To identify characteristic angiographic features of cerebral involvement in collagen diseases.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cerebral angiograms from 11 patients with collagen disease.
- Review of radiological findings, focusing on vessel wall lesions and distribution.
- Comparison with clinical presentations and other etiologies of cerebral arteritis.
Main Results:
- Angiography revealed characteristic features in some cases of polyarteritis nodosa and lupus erythematosus.
- Immunovasculitis with cerebral affection was observed in 5 patients, but not further classified.
- Angiographic findings can raise suspicion but do not definitively diagnose collagen disease.
- Differentiation from other cerebral arteritis causes, including sepsis lenta, remains challenging.
Conclusions:
- Cerebral angiography is a valuable tool for suspecting collagen disease but lacks definitive diagnostic power.
- Interpreting angiographic findings requires consideration of lesion distribution alongside morphology.
- Distinguishing collagen-related cerebral vasculitis from other causes of arteritis is complex.
Abstract:
The cerebral angiograms of 11 patients suffering from collagen disease are presented. Panarteriitis nodosa was diagnosed in 4 cases, Lupus erythematodes in 2 cases. With 5 patients immunovasculitis with cerebral affection was found, which was, however, not to be classified in detail. More or less characteristic features are to be expected in the angiogram; they might harden the suspicion of collagen disease, although they are not likely to prove its diagnosis. An interpretation of the radiological findings should--in addition to the morphology--primarily take into account the distribution type of the vessel wall lesions. Clinically as well as by means of angiography it is difficult to differentiate between collagen disease and cerebral arteriitis of different aetiology; this applies particularly to the alterations in cases of embolic circumscribed encephalitis in sepsis lenta. The diagnostic value of angiography in cases of collagen disease with cerebral affection is discussed, the criteria of cerebral arteriitis of different aetiology are dealth with.