The Ultrasound Compression Sign to Diagnose Temporal Giant Cell Arteritis Shows an Excellent Interobserver Agreement

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic performance between a vascular specialist and a rheumatologist not familiar with vascular ultrasound when applying the compression sign for the diagnosis of temporal arteritis.

Methods: Sixty consecutive patients with suspicion of giant cell arteritis were examined by both examiners. Compression of the temporal artery on both sides (stem and both branches) was performed to define whether signs of vasculitis, no vasculitis or an indefinite result were present. Each examiner was blinded to the result of the other.

Results: In 59/60 patients, the examiners found an identical result. The interobserver agreement (Krippendorf alpha) was 0.92.

Conclusions: The new compression sign for the diagnosis of temporal arteritis is a simple and robust sonographic marker with an excellent interobserver agreement.