What is a temporal artery biopsy?
The temporal artery is a blood vessel on the side of your forehead. A temporal artery biopsy is a procedure to remove a section of the artery for testing. It is used to diagnose an inflammation of the blood vessels called giant cell arteritis (GCA). The sample of your artery is sent to a lab. A doctor there will look closely at the artery wall under a microscope for signs of GCA.
GCA mostly affects the arteries that carry blood to the head. It's also called temporal arteritis. That's because it often affects the artery in the temple.
Blood tests and imaging tests (like an MRI or ultrasound) can also help diagnose GCA. But a temporal artery biopsy is the most accurate test.
How is giant cell arteritis (GCA) diagnosed?
If you have symptoms ofgiant cell arteritis(GCA), your doctor may order a temporal arterybiopsyto make sure.
GCA is also called temporal arteritis. It can occur at various points along anartery. To test for GCA, your doctor may have a surgeon take a sample of a blood vessel on your temple and test it forinflammation.
If a temporal artery biopsy shows no signs of inflammation but your symptoms strongly suggest GCA, you and your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of treatment and of no treatment. You and your doctor will decide whether or not you will proceed with treatment.
If you are taking high-dose corticosteroids, the biopsy result may not be accurate. In this case, any biopsy testing must be performed as soon as possible, preferably within 2 to 5 days. Biopsies done more than about a week after the start of high-dose corticosteroids may be falsely normal (false-negative).
How is a temporal artery biopsy done?
The doctor will numb the area of your temple where the biopsy will be done. Then they will make a cut (incision) along your temple and find the artery.
Your doctor will remove a small section of the artery. Then the ends that remain will be tied off. This means that the artery will no longer carry blood. But that's okay because the other blood vessels in the area will carry the blood instead.
After the artery sample is taken, the incision will be closed with stitches and covered with a bandage. You may have the procedure on one or both sides of your head. It depends on what your doctor thinks is best.
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