TITLE:
Takayasu Arteritis: Multimodal Imaging and Histopathologic Findings—A Case Report and Narrative Review
AUTHORS:
Gregorio Rico-Gomez, Eliana Casteñada-Bastidas, Kristal Paternina-Pérez, William Matson-Sepulveda, Ivan Arrieta-Ortega, Isaac Arnedo-Kalil, Juan José Suárez Redondo, Felipe Restrepo-Amador, Andrea Suárez-Blanquicett, Sandra Giraldo-Rodriguez, Andrés Yanez-Anaya
KEYWORDS:
Takayasu Arteritis, Large-Vessel Vasculitis, Doppler Ultrasonography, Computed Tomography Angiography, Histopathology, Multimodal Imaging
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.14 No.11,
November
5,
2026
ABSTRACT: Background: Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is a chronic large-vessel vasculitis predominantly affecting the aorta and its major branches. Its heterogeneous clinical manifestations and progressive vascular remodeling frequently complicate early recognition and the distinction between active inflammation and established arterial damage. Objective: To review the clinical characteristics, diagnostic imaging modalities, histopathologic features, and therapeutic considerations of TAK, illustrated by a case of upper-extremity ischemia with multimodal vascular assessment and histopathologic correlation. Methods: A narrative review of the literature was conducted, focusing on the diagnosis, vascular imaging, disease activity assessment, and management of TAK. An illustrative case of a young adult presenting with upper-extremity ischemia was examined using Doppler ultrasonography, computed tomography angiography (CTA), conventional catheter angiography, and vascular histopathology. Results: In the presented case, vascular assessment identified involvement of the right subclavian and axillary arterial territories, with proximal large-vessel abnormalities demonstrated by CTA and corresponding luminal abnormalities documented by conventional angiography. Histopathologic examination revealed marked intimal thickening and inflammatory infiltration composed of lymphocytes and plasma cells, supporting an inflammatory arteriopathy in the appropriate clinical and imaging context. The accompanying literature review highlights the complementary roles of ultrasonography, CTA, magnetic resonance imaging, and FDG-PET/CT in characterizing vascular involvement, while emphasizing the limitations of individual modalities in determining inflammatory activity. Conclusion: This case illustrates the value of integrating clinical presentation, complementary vascular imaging, and available histopathologic findings when evaluating suspected TAK in a young patient with upper-extremity ischemia. Multimodal assessment provides distinct anatomical, hemodynamic, and tissue-level information that may support diagnostic reasoning and inform individualized management and surveillance.