Diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis affecting carotid arteries with multi-slice spiral CT / 中国医学科学院学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore changes in the carotid arteries in Tarkayasu arteritis (TA) with computed tomographic angiography (CTA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The common carotid artery intima-medial thickness (CCA-IMT) in 20 common carotid arteries (CCAs) in 10 controls and 40 CCAs in 20 patients with TA were analyzed and compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Contrast-enhanced CT scanning combined with the application of 3D reconstruction clearly showed the carotid vascular luminal abnormalities, such as stenosis, occlusion, dilation, and aneurysm formation. CCA-IMT increased in all the patients with TA affecting carotid arteries. CCA-IMT was significantly larger in the patients than in controls [(0.36 +/- 0.13) cm vs. (0.03 +/- 0.02) cm, P < 0.05] , and was significantly larger in patients with active diseases than in those without active diseases [(0.44 +/- 0.09) cm vs. (0.24 +/- 0.10) cm, P < 0.05].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CCA-IMT increases in TA affecting carotid arteries, especially in active diseases.</p>