Department of Radiology, Korea Veterans Hospital, Korea.
Published online: September 1, 2001.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the color doppler sonographic findings of superficial temporal artery of patients with temporal arteritis in comparision with normal superficial temporal artery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The superficial temporal arteries and their frontal and parietal branches were examined by color doppler sonography in 6 patients with temporal arteritis and 30 normal controls. Vessel diameter, vessel wall thickness, peak systolic velocity, enddiastolic velocity and resistive index in proximal and distal portion of superficial temporal arteries and their frontal and parietal branches were examined. For statistical analysis, Student 's t-test was used and a p-value < 0.01 was considered significant. RESULTS: Mean vessel wall thickness, peak systolic velocity in patients with temporal arteritis were 0.63 0.08 mm and 49.25 11.93 cm/sec, respectively in proximal superficial temporal arteries; 0.63 0.17 mm and 30.53 11.57cm/sec in distal superficial temporal arteries; Mean vessel wall thickness of frontal branches of superficial temporal arteries in patients with temporal arteritis was 0.62 0.11 mm. The vessel wall of main superficial temporal arteries and their frontal branches in temporal arteritis group was thicker than normal control group (p<0.01). The mean peak systolic velocity of main superficial temporal arteries in temporal arteritis group was significantly lower than normal control group (p<0.01). The vessel wall was hypoechoic in temporal arteritis group. CONCLUSION: We obtained various color doppler sonographic findings in patients with temporal arteritis for comparison with normal control group. The wall thickness, the peak systolic velocity and wall echogenicity of superficial temporal artery could be useful in diagnosis of temporal arteritis.
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