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MINI REVIEW article

Front. Med.
Sec. Rheumatology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1495644
This article is part of the Research Topic New insights into the role of imaging in large vessel vasculitis View all 10 articles

Topic: New insights into the role of imaging in large vessel vasculitis

Provisionally accepted
Ruoning Ni Ruoning Ni 1Minna Kohler Minna Kohler 2*
  • 1 The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
  • 2 Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Over the past decades, fundamental insights have been gained to establish the pivotal role of imaging in the diagnosis of large-vessel vasculitis, including giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TAK). A deeper comprehension of imaging modalities has prompted earlier diagnosis leading to expedited treatment for better prognosis. The European Alliance of Associations in Rheumatology (EULAR) recommended in 2023 that ultrasound should be the initial imaging test in suspected GCA, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) remains the first-line imaging modality in suspected TAK. We summarize the recent advances in diagnostic imaging in large vessel vasculitis, highlighting use of combination imaging modalities, and discuss progress in newer imaging techniques such as contrast-enhanced ultrasound, shear wave elastography, ocular ultrasound, ultrasound biomicroscopy, integration of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with MRI, novel tracer in PET, black blood MRI, orbital MRI, and implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) to existing imaging modalities. Our aim is to offer a perspective on ongoing advancements in imaging for the diagnosis of GCA and TAK, particularly innovative technology, which could potentially boost diagnostic precision.

    Keywords: ultrasound, Vasculitis, giant cell arteritis - large-vessel, Takayasu ' s arteritis, Temporal arteries ultrasonography

    Received: 13 Sep 2024; Accepted: 17 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ni and Kohler. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Minna Kohler, Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.