General term describing diverse group of diseases characterized by inflammation/necrosis of blood vessels
Classified by size of blood vessel involved into small vessel, medium vessel, and large vessel vasculitis
Large vessel: Takayasu arteritis
Medium vessel: Polyarteritis nodosa
Small vessel: Henoch-Schönlein purpura, lupus vasculitis, Behçet disease, Wegener granulomatosis
Takayasu arteritis: Chronic granulomatous inflammatory vasculitis affecting aorta and its main branches
Polyarteritis nodosa: Fibrinoid necrotizing vasculitis involving small and medium vessels with formation of multiple branch-point aneurysms
Henoch-Schönlein purpura: Hypersensitivity-related acute vasculitis affecting small vessels with deposition of IgA complexes in skin, joints, kidneys, and GI tract
Wegener granulomatosis: Granulomatous vasculitis of respiratory tract and kidneys
Lupus vasculitis: Complex autoimmune disease with associated necrotizing vasculitis affecting small vessels
Behçet disease: Necrotizing vasculitis of small vessels affecting multiple organs
IMAGING
Imaging Recommendations
General Features
Radiographic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Collins JD: MR Imaging of the mesenteric vasculature. Radiol Clin North Am. 58(4):797-813, 2020
Hansen NJ: Computed tomographic angiography of the abdominal aorta. Radiol Clin North Am. 54(1):35-54, 2016
Kalfa M et al: Segmental arterial mediolysis mimics systemic vasculitis. Eur J Rheumatol. 3(3):136-8, 2016
Muto G et al: Large vessel vasculitis in elderly patients: early diagnosis and steroid-response evaluation with FDG-PET/CT and contrast-enhanced CT. Rheumatol Int. 34(11):1545-54, 2014
Prieto-González S et al: Positron emission tomography assessment of large vessel inflammation in patients with newly diagnosed, biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis: a prospective, case-control study. Ann Rheum Dis. 73(7):1388-92, 2014
Schmidt WA: Imaging in vasculitis. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 27(1):107-18, 2013
Chu LC et al: Vascular complications of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: CT findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 198(2):482-7, 2012
Hokama A et al: Endoscopic and radiographic features of gastrointestinal involvement in vasculitis. World J Gastrointest Endosc. 4(3):50-6, 2012
Pipitone N et al: Role of imaging studies in the diagnosis and follow-up of large-vessel vasculitis: an update. Rheumatology (Oxford). 47(4):403-8, 2008
Otsuka H et al: FDG-PET/CT for diagnosis and follow-up of vasculitis. J Med Invest. 54(3-4):345-9, 2007
Roemer FW et al: Unusual manifestation of small-vessel vasculitis. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 186(2):586-7, 2006
Jayne D: Current attitudes to the therapy of vasculitis. Kidney Blood Press Res. 26(4):231-9, 2003
Geboes K et al: Vasculitis and the gastrointestinal tract. Acta Gastroenterol Belg. 65(4):204-12, 2002
Chung SY et al: Radiologic findings of Behçet syndrome involving the gastrointestinal tract. Radiographics. 21(4):911-24; discussion 924-6, 2001
Wiest R et al: Clinical image: occult large vessel vasculitis diagnosed by PET imaging. Rheumatol Int. 20(6):250, 2001
Ha HK et al: Radiologic features of vasculitis involving the gastrointestinal tract. Radiographics. 20(3):779-94, 2000
Kawashima A et al: CT evaluation of renovascular disease. Radiographics. 20(5):1321-40, 2000
Rha SE et al: CT and MR imaging findings of bowel ischemia from various primary causes. Radiographics. 20(1):29-42, 2000
Hunder G: Vasculitis: diagnosis and therapy. Am J Med. 100(2A):37S-45S, 1996
Jennette JC et al: The pathology of vasculitis involving the kidney. Am J Kidney Dis. 24(1):130-41, 1994
Related Anatomy
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Diagnostic Checklist
TERMINOLOGY
Definitions
General term describing diverse group of diseases characterized by inflammation/necrosis of blood vessels
Classified by size of blood vessel involved into small vessel, medium vessel, and large vessel vasculitis
Large vessel: Takayasu arteritis
Medium vessel: Polyarteritis nodosa
Small vessel: Henoch-Schönlein purpura, lupus vasculitis, Behçet disease, Wegener granulomatosis
Takayasu arteritis: Chronic granulomatous inflammatory vasculitis affecting aorta and its main branches
Polyarteritis nodosa: Fibrinoid necrotizing vasculitis involving small and medium vessels with formation of multiple branch-point aneurysms
Henoch-Schönlein purpura: Hypersensitivity-related acute vasculitis affecting small vessels with deposition of IgA complexes in skin, joints, kidneys, and GI tract
Wegener granulomatosis: Granulomatous vasculitis of respiratory tract and kidneys
Lupus vasculitis: Complex autoimmune disease with associated necrotizing vasculitis affecting small vessels
Behçet disease: Necrotizing vasculitis of small vessels affecting multiple organs
IMAGING
Imaging Recommendations
General Features
Radiographic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Collins JD: MR Imaging of the mesenteric vasculature. Radiol Clin North Am. 58(4):797-813, 2020
Hansen NJ: Computed tomographic angiography of the abdominal aorta. Radiol Clin North Am. 54(1):35-54, 2016
Kalfa M et al: Segmental arterial mediolysis mimics systemic vasculitis. Eur J Rheumatol. 3(3):136-8, 2016
Muto G et al: Large vessel vasculitis in elderly patients: early diagnosis and steroid-response evaluation with FDG-PET/CT and contrast-enhanced CT. Rheumatol Int. 34(11):1545-54, 2014
Prieto-González S et al: Positron emission tomography assessment of large vessel inflammation in patients with newly diagnosed, biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis: a prospective, case-control study. Ann Rheum Dis. 73(7):1388-92, 2014
Schmidt WA: Imaging in vasculitis. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 27(1):107-18, 2013
Chu LC et al: Vascular complications of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: CT findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 198(2):482-7, 2012
Hokama A et al: Endoscopic and radiographic features of gastrointestinal involvement in vasculitis. World J Gastrointest Endosc. 4(3):50-6, 2012
Pipitone N et al: Role of imaging studies in the diagnosis and follow-up of large-vessel vasculitis: an update. Rheumatology (Oxford). 47(4):403-8, 2008