Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a relatively common form of blood vessel inflammation which, if left untreated, can cause permanent blindness (1). It is the most common large vessel vasculitis and since the temporal arteries are often inflamed it has commonly been termed temporal arteritis (2).
Temporal artery biopsy (TAB) is the historic gold standard for diagnosis with a high specificity but a low sensitivity (1,2). Current European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) guidelines recommend that, in the hands of practitioners with expertise, a positive TA-US in a patient with a high clinical index of suspicion of GCA is sufficient to confirm the diagnosis. Along with this, changes to medicare requirements for treating drug tocilizumab which includes US diagnosis has increased awareness and referrals ultrasound in Australia.
This workshop will combine explanation of the important role of ultrasound in diagnosis of GCA, with live scanning and will include optimisation techniques and recommended imaging protocols.

1. Luqmani R et al. The role of ultrasound compared to biopsy of temporal arteritis in the diagnosis and treatment of giant cell arteritis (TABUL): a diagnostic accurarcy and cost effectiveness study. Health Technology Assessment. Volume 20, Issue 90, Nov 2016
2. Schäfer VS, Juche A, Ramiro S, Krause A, Schmidt WA. Ultrasound cut-off values for intima-media thickness of temporal, facial and axillary arteritis in giant cell arteritis. Rheumatology. 2017 56:1479-1483