Takayasu arteritis evaluated by multi-slice computed tomography in an old man

In the case of patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA), they consult a doctor for the first time when they have a slight fever, shoulder pain, chest pain, back pain, or headache, or when they are pointed out to have high CRP or anemia by chance in medical check-up. In TA, they are usually young women. In our case, the very old patient had bilateral massive pleural effusion and aortic aneurysm with a 64-slice computed tomography (CT). TA commonly affects primarily large elastic arteries such as the aorta and its main branches. Steroid was very effective for suppression of inflammatory symptom being dose-dependent. His pleural effusion had been decreasing without reducing the size of aortic aneurysm. Multi-slice CT was a very useful tool to detect unexpected lesion in Takayasu arteritis in a non-invasive manner. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.