Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography (US) in the detectio
n and quantification of arterial involvement in Takayasu's arteritis (TA).
Methods: The common carotid and subclavian arteries, and the abdominal aort
a of 15 patients with TA were studied by Color Doppler (CD) US and Doppler
spectral analysis and compared with angiography.
Results: The mean difference ( +/- SD) between the percent luminal stenoses
measured at angiography and by CD US was 2.0 +/- 10.3% for the common caro
tid artery, 4.0 +/- 23.6% for the subclavian artery and -1.3 +/- 16.8% for
the abdominal aorta. The differences were not statistically significant. Ho
wever. the agreement of the methods was less than satisfactory as shown by
the wide standard deviations.
Conclusions: More efforts are needed to improve the less than optimal agree
ment of US with angiography regarding the severity of individual stenoses.
The technique performs best in the study of carotid arteries.