Case Report: Giant cell arteritis presenting as pyrexia of unknown origin

Abstract

Giant cell arteritis, also known as temporal arteritis or cranial arteritis, is a type of systemic vasculitis that mainly affects large and medium-sized arteries in the head, neck, and upper extremities. It is characterized by inflammation of the walls of arteries, which can lead to narrowing or blockage of the affected vessels, and can result in serious complications such as vision loss, stroke and aortic aneurysm. The exact cause of giant cell arteritis is not fully understood, but it is believed to be an autoimmune disorder, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues in the body. Genetic, environmental and infectious factors may also play a role in its development. The disease is more common in people over 50 years of age and occurs more frequently in women than in men. Diagnosing this disease is challenging and requires high degree of clinical suspicion and use of advanced modalities for confirming the diagnosis. Here we report a case of a 70-year-old female with pyrexia of unknown of origin who was ultimately diagnosed as a case of giant cell arteritis by PET-CT.