Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29531788›Full record

ArticleRMD open2018

Imaging in diagnosis, outcome prediction and monitoring of large vessel vasculitis: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis informing the EULAR recommendations.

Christina Duftner, Christian Dejaco, Alexandre Sepriano, Louise Falzon, Wolfgang Andreas Schmidt, Sofia Ramiro

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in RMD open, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 115 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
115citing papers in PubMed, 10 pooled it
26.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

115 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 298 citations in OpenAlex.

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  8. ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Noncerebral Vasculitis.Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR · 2021
    Guideline
  9. Pooled it
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  11. Digital [European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging · 2026
    Article
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  18. Advanced Imaging Techniques Use in Giant Cell Arteritis Diagnosis: The Experience at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS · 2025
    Article
  19. Article
  20. Article

55 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 6 institutions in 6 countries.

Christina DuftnerDepartment of Internal Medicine, Clinical Division of Internal Medicine II, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Christian DejacoRheumatology Service, South Tyrolean Health Trust, Hospital of Bruneck, Bruneck, Italy.
Alexandre SeprianoDepartment of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Louise FalzonCenter for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health, Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, New York, USA.
Wolfgang Andreas SchmidtMedical Centre for Rheumatology Berlin-Buch, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Sofia RamiroDepartment of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Columbia University Irving Medical Center · USImmanuel Krankenhaus · DEInnsbruck Medical University · ATKrankenhaus Bruneck · ITLeiden University Medical Center · NLUniversidade Nova de Lisboa · PT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo perform a systematic literature review on imaging techniques for diagnosis, outcome prediction and disease monitoring in large vessel vasculitis (LVV) informing the European League Against Rheumatism recommendations for imaging in LVV.

methodsSystematic literature review (until 10 March 2017) of diagnostic and prognostic studies enrolling >20 patients and investigating ultrasound, MRI, CT or positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with suspected and/or established primary LVV. Meta-analyses were conducted, whenever possible, obtaining pooled estimates for sensitivity and specificity by fitting random effects models.

resultsForty-three studies were included (39 on giant cell arteritis (GCA), 4 on Takayasu arteritis (TAK)). Ultrasound ('halo' sign) at temporal arteries (8 studies, 605 patients) and MRI of cranial arteries (6 studies, 509 patients) yielded pooled sensitivities of 77% (95% CI 62% to 87%) and 73% (95% CI 57% to 85%), respectively, compared with a clinical diagnosis of GCA. Corresponding specificities were 96% (95% CI 85% to 99%) and 88% (95% CI 81% to 92%). Two studies (93 patients) investigating PET for GCA diagnosis reported sensitivities of 67%-77% and specificities of 66%-100% as compared with clinical diagnosis or temporal artery biopsy. In TAK, one study each evaluated the role of magnetic resonance angiography and CT angiography for diagnostic purposes revealing both a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. Studies on outcome prediction and monitoring disease activity/damage were limited and mainly descriptive.

conclusionsUltrasound and MRI provide a high diagnostic value for cranial GCA. More data on the role of imaging for diagnosis of extracranial large vessel GCA and TAK, as well as for outcome prediction and monitoring in LVV are warranted.

Indexed as

giant cell arteritismagnetic resonance imagingultrasonography

Identifiers

PMID29531788
PMCPMC5845406
OpenAlexW2785495975

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.