Takayasu's arteritis. Carotid duplex sonographic appearance, including color Doppler imaging.

Takayasu's arteritis (also known as pulseless disease, aortoarteritis, and aortic arch syndrome) is a chronic inflammatory arteriopathy that affects the aorta and its main branches as well as the pulmonary arteries. We report the carotid duplex sonographic findings of Takayasu's arteritis in three patients. Takayasu's arteritis can be suspected by noting a long segment of diffuse, homogeneous, circumferential vessel wall thickening in the proximal common carotid artery, resulting in narrowing of the lumen. The internal and external carotid arteries are normal.