DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN GIANT-CELL ARTERITIS

A patient with biopsy negative giant cell arteritis was examined and t reated by our group. Since in some cases the visual loss in this disea se is due to a central retinal artery occlusion, a technique to evalua te the blood flow velocity in this artery would be useful. The Duplex scanner was utilized by us in this patient to study the blood flow vel ocity of the central retinal artery. The flow velocity was reduced. Th e patient was treated with systemic steroids which lead to clinical an d symptomatic improvement. After the treatment with steroids the Duple x scanner was again used to study the flow velocity of the central ret inal artery. The blood flow velocity improved. We think that Doppler u ltrasonography may be useful in the diagnosis of and in monitoring the treatment of some cases of giant cell arteritis.