Giant cell arteritis--an incidental finding. 2012

Gillian A Greenhill, and D W G Kennedy, and A Evans
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK. gilliangreenhill@nhs.net

Giant cell arteritis is a systemic, inflammatory, and vascular syndrome that requires early diagnosis and immediate management because of the risk of loss of vision. Local symptoms include headache, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication, visual disturbances, and scalp necrosis. Systemic symptoms include weight loss, fever, malaise, fatigue, and polymyalgia rheumatica. We describe a case that was identified histologically as an incidental finding after excision of a basal cell carcinoma from the parietal area of the scalp. A search of PubMed and Medline using the keywords "giant cell arteritis", and "incidental histopathological diagnosis" returned no similar previously published cases in the head and neck. We present this as an unusual and interesting case.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010294 Parietal Bone One of a pair of irregularly shaped quadrilateral bones situated between the FRONTAL BONE and OCCIPITAL BONE, which together form the sides of the CRANIUM. Bone, Parietal,Bones, Parietal,Parietal Bones
D002280 Carcinoma, Basal Cell A malignant skin neoplasm that seldom metastasizes but has potentialities for local invasion and destruction. Clinically it is divided into types: nodular, cicatricial, morphaic, and erythematoid (pagetoid). They develop on hair-bearing skin, most commonly on sun-exposed areas. Approximately 85% are found on the head and neck area and the remaining 15% on the trunk and limbs. (From DeVita Jr et al., Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology, 3d ed, p1471) Carcinoma, Basal Cell, Pigmented,Epithelioma, Basal Cell,Rodent Ulcer,Ulcer, Rodent,Basal Cell Carcinoma,Basal Cell Carcinomas,Basal Cell Epithelioma,Basal Cell Epitheliomas,Carcinomas, Basal Cell,Epitheliomas, Basal Cell,Rodent Ulcers,Ulcers, Rodent
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old
D012535 Scalp The outer covering of the calvaria. It is composed of several layers: SKIN; subcutaneous connective tissue; the occipitofrontal muscle which includes the tendinous galea aponeurotica; loose connective tissue; and the pericranium (the PERIOSTEUM of the SKULL). Scalps
D012878 Skin Neoplasms Tumors or cancer of the SKIN. Cancer of Skin,Skin Cancer,Cancer of the Skin,Neoplasms, Skin,Cancer, Skin,Cancers, Skin,Neoplasm, Skin,Skin Cancers,Skin Neoplasm
D013700 Giant Cell Arteritis A systemic autoimmune disorder that typically affects medium and large ARTERIES, usually leading to occlusive granulomatous vasculitis with transmural infiltrate containing multinucleated GIANT CELLS. The TEMPORAL ARTERY is commonly involved. This disorder appears primarily in people over the age of 50. Symptoms include FEVER; FATIGUE; HEADACHE; visual impairment; pain in the jaw and tongue; and aggravation of pain by cold temperatures. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed) Aortic Arteritis, Giant Cell,Aortitis, Giant Cell,Arteritis, Temporal,Cranial Arteritis,Horton Disease,Horton Giant Cell Arteritis,Juvenile Temporal Arteritis,Temporal Arteritis,Arteritis, Giant Cell, Horton,Arteritis, Giant Cell, Horton's,Giant Cell Aortic Arteritis,Giant Cell Aortitis,Giant Cell Aortitis, Horton's,Giant Cell Arteritis, Horton,Horton's Disease,Horton's Giant Cell Arteritis,Aortitides, Giant Cell,Arteritides, Cranial,Arteritides, Giant Cell,Arteritides, Juvenile Temporal,Arteritides, Temporal,Arteritis, Cranial,Arteritis, Giant Cell,Arteritis, Juvenile Temporal,Cranial Arteritides,Giant Cell Aortitides,Giant Cell Arteritides,Hortons Disease,Juvenile Temporal Arteritides,Temporal Arteritides,Temporal Arteritides, Juvenile,Temporal Arteritis, Juvenile
D058070 Asymptomatic Diseases Diseases that do not exhibit symptoms. Asymptomatic Conditions,Asymptomatic States,Pre-Symptomatic Diseases,Presymptomatic Diseases,Asymptomatic Condition,Asymptomatic Disease,Asymptomatic State,Condition, Asymptomatic,Disease, Asymptomatic,Disease, Pre-Symptomatic,Disease, Presymptomatic,Pre-Symptomatic Disease,Presymptomatic Disease
D033162 Incidental Findings Unanticipated information discovered in the course of testing or medical care. Used in discussions of information that may have social or psychological consequences, such as when it is learned that a child's biological father is someone other than the putative father, or that a person tested for one disease or disorder has, or is at risk for, something else. Incidental Discovery,Discoveries, Incidental,Discovery, Incidental,Finding, Incidental,Findings, Incidental,Incidental Discoveries,Incidental Finding

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