Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
The diagnostic utility of intima-media thickness measurement compared with the halo sign in temporal artery ultrasonography: a single-centre retrospective study
Authors' conclusion
A TAUS diagnosis relying only on the halo sign is specific but can underestimate cranial GCA. Therefore, evaluation of the IMT in addition to the halo sign can improve the diagnostic accuracy of TAUS when diagnosing cranial GCA.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive patients with clinically suspected giant cell arteritis (GCA) who underwent temporal artery ultrasonography (TAUS), January 2011 to December 2021, Tenri hospital, Japan53 diagnosed with cranial GCA
- Participants
- 203 patients
- Comparison
- TAUS based on increased intima-media thickness (IMT) vs halo sign for diagnosing cranial GCA
- Outcome
- Diagnostic value (sensitivity, specificity) of TAUS for cranial GCA vs clinical diagnosis and vs temporal artery biopsy (TAB)
Methodological detailsretrospective, single-centre, consecutive patients
- Retrospective
- Single-centre
- Consecutive patients
Performance
As reported in the abstract
Diagnostic accuracy vs clinical diagnosis
| Test or model | Sensitivity | Specificity |
|---|---|---|
| Increased IMT | 62.3% | 90.0% |
| Halo sign | 32.1% | 100% |
Sensitivity
Increased IMT62.3%
Halo sign32.1%
Specificity
Increased IMT90.0%
Halo sign100%
Further findings
Diagnostic accuracy vs TAB (TAB in 59 patients, 32 biopsy-positive)
Sensitivity
Specificity
Relationship between IMT and halo sign
- Patients with cranial GCA who presented with the halo sign had the highest IMT compared with those without the halo sign or those without cranial GCA
Original publication
The diagnostic utility of intima-media thickness measurement compared with the halo sign in temporal artery ultrasonography: a single-centre retrospective study. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Published 1 April 2024. doi:10.
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