Evaluation of Carotid Artery Intima Media Elasticity in Takayasu Arteritis by Shear Wave Elastography

This study aimed to evaluate carotid morphology with Ultrasound (US) and arterial stiffness with Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) in TA patients and to compare results with disease activity. We searched the clinical archive and found 41 Takayasu Arteritis (TA) patients with carotid involvement had carotid US and SWE screening. Patients (n=22) with confounding factors that could affect the carotid wall were excluded. Nineteen cases that meet the inclusion criteria and 19 healthy control cases age-sex matched were compared. We evaluated right and left common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) with B-Mode US and wall stiffness with SWE. We also investigated a relationship between disease activation and arterial stiffness. Carotid artery IMT was significantly higher in TA than in the control group (p