The gold standard for diagnosing temporal arteritis is biopsy, which involves removing of a small part of the vessel and examining it microscopically for giant cells infiltrating the tissue. Since the blood vessels are involved in a patchy pattern, there may be unaffected areas on the vessel and the biopsy might have been taken from these parts. So, a negative result does not definitely rule out the diagnosis. Findings diagnostic of temporal arteritis include skip lesions and normal intervening segments, intimal thickening, with prominent cellular infiltration, lymphocytes in the internal or external elastic lamina or adventitia, areas of necrosis may be present in the arterial wall, granulomas containing multinucleated histiocytic and foreign body giant cells, helper T-cell lymphocytes, plasma cells, and fibroblasts. Risks of temporal artery biopsy are temporary or permanent damage to the temporal branch of the facial nerve, infection, bleeding, hematoma, and dehiscence.
Temporal arteritis diagnostic study of choice
Buerger's disease diagnostic study of choice
Temporal arteritis echocardiography or ultrasound
Takayasu's arteritis differential diagnosis
Carotid body tumor other diagnostic studies
Carotid body tumor diagnostic study of choice
Carotid body tumor other imaging findings
Takayasu's arteritis other imaging findings