Takayasu’s Arteritis

Your healthcare provider’s diagnosis of Takayasu’s arteritis is based on a combination of factors, including:

• Complete medical history and physical exam to exclude other illnesses that may have similar symptoms. Your provider may hear an unusual sound called a bruit through their stethoscope. If you have a lot of narrowing in your blood vessels, it can be hard for blood to move through. This creates that sound.
• X-rays that show where your artery has damage and the severity of it.
• Procedures to detect blood vessel narrowing or aneurysm.

What tests will be done to diagnose Takayasu’s arteritis?

Several tests can help your healthcare provider make a diagnosis, including:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): a test that produces images without using X-rays. It uses a large magnet, electromagnetic energy waves and a computer to produce these images.
• Computed tomography (CT scan): X-rays and computers produce images of internal organs, including large blood vessels.
• Angiography: X-ray pictures of the inside of your blood vessels. Your provider inserts a long, slender tube called a catheter into a large artery in your groin area or arm and threads it through to the artery they want to see. They use the catheter to inject contrast material into your blood vessel, and then take X-rays. The contrast agent makes the blood vessels show up on the X-ray pictures. Your provider may also use an MRI for angiography.
• Positron emission tomography (PET): Your provider gives you a radioactive substance through a needle in your arm. This substance travels through your body, and a scanner detects it and creates images.
• Ultrasound: Sound waves help create images of your blood vessels.