Is duplex ultrasonography useful for the diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis?.
GROUND: Evidence of a dark halo on ultrasonography has been considered a specific sign of giant-cell arteritis and may replace temporal artery biopsy for the diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis in patients with typical clinical manifestations. OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of temporal artery duplex ultrasonography and to compare this mode of ultrasonography with physical examination of temporal arteries for the diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis in patients with suspected giant-cell arteritis or polymyalgia rheumatica. DESIGN: Diagnostic test study. SETTING: Several divisions of Reggio Emilia Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy. PATIENTS: 86 consecutive patients with a suspected diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis or polymyalgia rheumatica identified over a 22-month period. MEASUREMENTS: The temporal arteries were examined in all 86 patients. Duplex ultrasonography of the temporal arteries was then performed by two ultrasonographers who were unaware of the clinical diagnosis. Before cortic
