CT findings and clinical features of Takayasu's arteritis with pulmonary artery involvement

Abstract

Objective: To explore the CT findings of the Takayasu's arteritis (TA)with pulmonary artery (PA) involvement and its clinical significance. Methods: A total of 35 patients with TA involving the PA in Xijing Hospital from November 2007 to November 2016, 6 male cases, 29 female cases, the age was 15-52 (28±9) years old, were retrospectively collected and included in the study group (TA+ P group), meanwhile 40 patients with TA but not involving the pulmonary artery in this hospital from January 2015 to November 2016 were collected as control group, 5 male cases, 35 female cases, the age was 7-67 (28±12) years old.The clinical and laboratory data, the pulmonary artery and right heart measurement data of the two groups were compared by using t test, χ(2) test , and rank sum test.The CT signs of pulmonary artery involvement in the TA+ P group were analyzed. Results: TA+ P group patients had shortness of breath, wheezing(54.3% vs 10.0%), cough(31.4% vs 12.5%)and palpitations(11.4% vs 0)mostly, and there were statistical difference between TA+ P group and TA group (all P<0.05), However, there was no difference between the two groups in the activity and duration of disease (all P>0.05). In TA+ P group, a total of 312 pulmonary artery segments were involved in 35 patients.The lumen stenosis of PA was more common(35 cases, 211 segments), followed by occlusion(14 cases, 94 segments), bilateral PA (23 cases, 217 segments) and multiple branches of PA involvement(34 cases, 311 segments) were more common.The PA systolic pressure, the diameter of main pulmonary artery, right atrium and right ventricular width of the TA+ P group patients were significantly higher than those of the TA group (all P<0.05). Conclusions: There are some CT certain characteristics in TA pulmonary arterial involvement, and they are not related to the activity and duration of the disease.Most patients with PA involvement present pulmonary hypertension and a series of special clinical manifestations.