This review summarizes the radiological manifestations of the vasculitides of proven
or presumed immunologic origin in which the inflammatory reaction is directed primarily
against the vessel wall. These include Wegener’s granulomatosis, Churg-Strauss syndrome,
Takayasu’s arteritis, Behçet’s syndrome, Goodpasture’s syndrome, and microscopic polyangiitis.
Chest radiography is used routinely in the initial evaluation and follow-up of these
patients. The radiographic findings however are nonspecific and need to be interpreted
together with the clinical findings. Computed tomography (CT) plays an increasingly
important role in the assessment of patients with vasculitis and, in the proper clinical
context, allows a confident diagnosis of some of these entities. Magnetic resonance
imaging and positron emission tomography play a limited role. The characteristic imaging
manifestations of the various vasculitides are reviewed and illustrated.
KEYWORDS
Lung diseases - vasculitis - lung radiography - lung CT
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Dr.
Nestor L Müller
Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital
899 W. 12th Ave., Vancouver
BC, Canada V5Z 1M9
eMail: nmuller@vanhosp.bc.ca
