Imagining techniques for vascular inflammation in Takayasu's arteritis
Smitienko I.O.^1, Atyasova E.V.^1, Novikov P.I.<sup>2

1</sup> Medical center «Petrovskie Gates», Moscow
² E.M. Tareev Clinic of Nephrology, Internal, and Professional Diseases, Moscow

Background. Takayasu's arteritis is characterized by high rate of complications which result in persistent disability and self-service loss.
The paper describes in detail the advantages and limitations of various diagnostic techniques for Takayasu's arteritis in early disease, manifest clinical signs, and residual inflammation, i.e., in patients with long-term disease. X-ray contrast angiography, CT angiography, and MR angiography are used for complex evaluation of arterial bloodstream including its parts difficult of access by ultrasound.
Aim. To assess diagnostic value of modern MR angiography for vascular disorder imaging in Takayasu's arteritis.
Patients and methods. MR angiography was performed using MRI scanner Magnetom ESSENZA 1,5T (Siemens). 111 examinations of aorta and its branches were performed in 44 patients with verified Takayasu's arteritis (mean duration 7.5 years). 22 of 111 examinations (5%) were performed using contrast-enhanced technique. Hemodynamic disorders and the degree of vessel wall edematous thickening were evaluated. In 26 patients, dynamic MR angiography was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months.
Results. In 56 cases, MR angiography revealed significant edema of vessel wall. This finding demonstrated positive correlation with clinical and laboratory signs, dynamic worsening of arterial wall configuration by ultrasound and/or inflammation by positron emission tomography (PET). Permanent absence of arterial wall edema was identified in 4.5% only and was completely in agreement with laboratory remission and the absence of inflammation by PET.
Conclusions. MR angiography which provides both the assessment of hemodynamic disorders and vessel wall configuration is an informative noninvasive imaging technique which helps to diagnose aneurysm, stenosis, or inflammation of aorta and its branches. The combination of various imaging techniques is recommended to improve the relevance of vascular abnormality evaluation.

Key words: Takayasu's arteritis, MRI, aortic dissection, PET, vessel wall edema.
For citation: Smitienko I.O., Atyasova E.V., Novikov P.I. Imagining techniques for vascular inflammation in Takayasu's arteritis // RMJ. 2017. № 7. P.442 –445.