Obligatory medical device diagnostics.
- Color duplex sonography – examination of temporal arteries (temporal arteries), extracranial (“outside the skull“) vessels, and occipital artery, subclavian artery, etc., for signs of inflammation; alternatively, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used [low-echo wall swelling/so-called halo; stenoses (narrowing) may also be used].
- Temporal artery biopsy (tissue sampling from the temporal artery) – if arteritis temporalis is suspected [gold standard].
Optional medical device diagnostics – depending on the results of the history, physical examination, laboratory diagnostics and obligatory medical device diagnostics – for differential diagnostic clarification.
- Duplex sonography (ultrasound examination: combination of a sonographic cross-sectional image (B-scan) and the Doppler sonography method; imaging method in medicine that can dynamically represent fluid flows (especially blood flow)) of the extremity arteries.
- Magnetic resonance imaging* (MRI; computer-assisted cross-sectional imaging method (using magnetic fields, i.e., without X-rays)) – in addition to imaging the superficial temporal artery with its branches, an assessment of the superficial occipital artery and the fascial artery is possible (recording the cranial affection pattern)
- Positron emission tomography* (PET; nuclear medicine procedure that allows the creation of cross-sectional images of living organisms by visualizing the distribution patterns of weak radioactive substances) – suitable for whole-body screening.
- Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT) – allows in the majority of cases a reliable diagnosis even without biopsy.
- X-ray of the thorax (X-ray thorax/chest), in two planes – exclusion of an aortic aneurysm (as part of therapy monitoring every 2 years).
* To evaluate additional aortic involvement in predominant cranial giant cell arteritis (also computed tomography, if necessary).
