Vessel Imaging for the Diagnosis of Giant Cell Arteritis (PDF)

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most frequent vasculitis in patients aged 50 and above, affecting largeand medium-sized arteries. GCA has a predilection for the extracranial branches of the carotid arteries and visual loss is the most feared complication of GCA. Recent studies demonstrated that up to 70% of GCA patients present also involvement of other arterial territories (aorta, vertebral, axillary, subclavian, iliofemoral, renal, mesenteric arteries).1-6 Visual loss results most frequently from ocular ischemia, whereas cerebral ischemia is rare. Ocular ischemic events result from an occlusive arteritis of the ophthalmic artery and/or its branches (central retinal artery, short and long posterior ciliary arteries, anterior ciliary arteries). Arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AAION) is the most common presentation of visual loss in GCA, accounting for > 80% of cases.