Which disease is defined by irregular thickening of medium and large muscular arteries leading to stenosis and aneurysm?

Which disease is defined by irregular thickening of medium and large muscular arteries leading to stenosis and aneurysm?

• A. Atherosclerosis
• B. Vasculitis
• C. Arteriovenous malformation
• D. Fibromuscular dysplasia

Answer: (D)

This item emphasizes fibromuscular dysplasia, a non-atherosclerotic, noninflammatory disease of medium- to large-sized muscular arteries. It causes irregular thickening of the arterial wall, producing alternating narrow and dilated segments that lead to stenosis and aneurysmal dilation. On imaging this often appears as a bead-like or string-of-pearls pattern, most commonly in the renal and carotid arteries, and it typically affects middle-aged women. This pattern is distinct from atherosclerosis, which is plaque buildup usually in older individuals with risk factors and tends to cause diffuse luminal narrowing rather than the characteristic bead-like irregularities. Vasculitis involves inflammatory damage to the vessel wall, often with systemic inflammatory signs. Arteriovenous malformation is an abnormal connection between artery and vein, not a thickened arterial wall with stenosis and aneurysm.

This item emphasizes fibromuscular dysplasia, a non-atherosclerotic, noninflammatory disease of medium- to large-sized muscular arteries. It causes irregular thickening of the arterial wall, producing alternating narrow and dilated segments that lead to stenosis and aneurysmal dilation. On imaging this often appears as a bead-like or string-of-pearls pattern, most commonly in the renal and carotid arteries, and it typically affects middle-aged women.

This pattern is distinct from atherosclerosis, which is plaque buildup usually in older individuals with risk factors and tends to cause diffuse luminal narrowing rather than the characteristic bead-like irregularities. Vasculitis involves inflammatory damage to the vessel wall, often with systemic inflammatory signs. Arteriovenous malformation is an abnormal connection between artery and vein, not a thickened arterial wall with stenosis and aneurysm.