Neurologist
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Review Case Reports
The clinical utility of high resolution magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis: a critically appraised topic.
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a relatively common form of systemic vasculitis, known for its predisposition to affect extracranial branches of the carotid artery and associated potential for causing visual loss and stroke. Neurologists need to be vigilant for this disorder, diagnose it early, and institute effective corticosteroid therapy. The differential diagnosis can be broad. Unfortunately, all clinical and laboratory features of GCA are limited by either low sensitivity or low specificity. Temporal artery biopsy remains the gold standard, but it has its own limitations. Noninvasive imaging techniques, like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may be capable of detecting the occurrence of GCA. ⋯ The specificity and positive LR of high resolution MRI are sufficiently high that a positive MRI combined with other clinical and laboratory data consistent with GCA may be useful in diagnosing GCA. Given the relatively low sensitivity of the test, a negative MRI would not be sufficient to rule out the diagnosis of GCA.
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Extracranial and intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) dissections following sports-related activities have been reported as a result of blunt traumatic injuries. The incidence of carotid artery dissection in sports is not known. Failure of physicians to suspect a dissection in the context of a minor injury or to obtain a history from the patient can lead to permanent neurologic deficits. ⋯ Pathogenesis of sports-related ICA dissections may be multifactorial. Structural aberrations in the arterial walls and defective connective tissue components are assumed in some patients. Several genes have been shown to be candidates for the connective tissue aberrations. Since sports-related ICA dissection can occur extracranially or intracranially, the combined use of proper diagnostic techniques that provides information on the extracranial and intracranial vessels is recommended. Although the mechanisms and treatment modalities for intracranial and extracranial dissections might be different, the initial steps of evaluation and stabilization should be standardized for both. There is no randomized controlled study for the best treatment or management of ICA dissection.