Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging visualizes intracranial large artery involvement in giant cell arteritis
Authors' conclusion
High-resolution 3D-CS-BB-MRI revealed inflammatory changes of intracranial arteries in 14.5% of GCA patients, with the intradural ICA as the most frequently affected vessel.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with 3D-CS-BB-MRI of the brain: diagnosed giant cell arteritis (GCA) and age-matched controls
- Participants
- 105 patients
- Comparison
- GCA vs age-matched controls
- GCAn = 55
- Controlsn = 50reference
- Outcome
- Inflammation of the intracranial arteries on 3D-CS-BB-MRI (circumferential vessel wall thickening and contrast enhancement)
Methodological detailsdual-centre, age-matched controls, blinded independent reading by two neuroradiologists
- Dual-centre
- Age-matched controls
- Blinded independent reading by two neuroradiologists
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Inflammation of at least one intracranial artery
GCA
14.5%
8 of 55
Controls
0
events
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Inflammation by artery (GCA)
- Internal carotid artery
- 6/55 (10.9%)
- Vertebral artery
- 4/55 (7.3%)
- Basilar artery and posterior cerebral artery
- 1/55 (1.8%)
Clinical symptoms in GCA with intracranial inflammation
- All reported headaches; none showed focal neurological deficit
- Besides headache and general weakness, no significant correlation between intracranial inflammation and clinical symptoms
Original publication
High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging visualizes intracranial large artery involvement in giant cell arteritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 10 January 2024. doi:10.
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