Like angiography, CTA exposes patients to high dosages of radiation.Magnetic resonance angiography is used to diagnose Takayasu arteritis in the early stages, showing changes such as the thickening of the vessel wall. Even small changes may be measured, making MRA a useful tool for monitoring disease progression without exposing patients to the radiation of direct angiography or CTA. MRA is an expensive investigation, and shows calcification of the aorta and distal branches less clearly than other imaging methods.Ultrasonography is an ideal method of diagnosing patients in early stages of arteritis when inflammation in the vessel walls occurs. It can also show the blood flow within the blood vessels. Ultrasonography is a popular first-line investigation for diagnosis because it is relatively quick, cheap, noninvasive, and does not expose patients to radiation. It is also used for long-term monitoring of disease progression in Takayasu arteritis. Not all vascular lesions are visible on ultrasound, and the accuracy of the scan depends, to some extent, on the person reading the scan, as the results are observed in real time. Types
Arteritis may be primary or secondary to some other disease process. The primary types are:

An example of a secondary arteritis is arteritis caused by infection with the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Giant cell arteritis
Giant cell arteritis contains two different types of arteritides that are almost indistinguishable from one another. It includes two types, temporal arteritis and Takayasu arteritis. Both types contain an occupancy of medium- and larger-sized arteries which are categorized based on the infiltration of the giant cells.
About 50% of such cases manifest abdominal pain, and they are often associated with hematologic abnormalities and spontaneous rupture. Cowden syndrome
Cowden syndrome is a serious genetic disorder characterized by multiple hamartomas. Usually skin hamartomas exist, and commonly (in about 66% of cases) hamartoma of the thyroid gland exists. Additional growths can form in many parts of the body, especially in bones, CNS, the eyes, the genitourinary tract, the GI tract, and mucosa. The hamartomas themselves may cause symptoms or even death, but morbidity is more often associated with increased occurrence of malignancies, usually in the breast or thyroid. Cowden syndrome is considered a PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS), which also includes Bannayan–Riley–Ruvalcaba syndrome, Proteus syndrome and Proteus-like syndrome. Prognosis
Hamartomas, while generally benign, can cause problems due to their location. For example, when located on the skin, especially on the face or neck, they can be very disfiguring. Cases have been reported of hamartomas the size of a small orange. They may obstruct practically any organ in the body, such as the colon, eye, etc. They are particularly likely to cause major health issues when located in the hypothalamus, kidneys, lips, or spleen. They can be removed surgically if necessary, and are not likely to recur. Prognosis will depend upon the location and size of the lesion, as well as the overall health of the patient. See also
Hamartia (medical term)
List of cutaneous conditions

References
External links

"Topic 28: Angiomyolipoma". eMedicine.com Radio. 2019-04-05. "Topic 316: Lung Hamartoma". eMedicine.com Radio. 2018-12-17.