Conventional and CT angiographic diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis

Angiographic assessment is essential to make a diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis, since it is a systemic disease in which aorta and pulmonary artery and their branches show occlusion or stenosis in the late occlusive phase. Recently spiral CT angiography with breath-hold technique enables us to obtain well-enhanced, thin-section transaxial images in arterial and delayed phases. CT angiography reveals mural changes in addition to luminal abnormalities. Those are high-attenuation wall in pre-contrast transverse CT images, circumferential wall thickening with or without enhancement, a concentric low-attenuation ring inside the aortic wall and mural enhancement in delayed phase. CT angiography may provide the information for the disease activity, which will be useful in the management of the disease.