A landmark trial has shown that vascular ultrasound has a high diagnostic accuracy for giant cell arteritis if performed by rheumatologists with appropriate training.

The findings could mean that ultrasound replaces temporal artery biopsy as the gold standard for diagnosis, the Danish researchers say.

The study was carried out at three Danish hospitals in patients aged over 50 (mean age 73, 59% women) with suspected giant cell arteritis (GCA) between 2014 and 2017 in the trial dubbed EUREKA (Evaluation of Ultrasound’s Role in patients suspected of having Extracranial and cranial giant cell Arteritis).

The imaging was done by five rheumatologists with no previous experience of vascular ultrasound who were trained in the technique over the course of a year.