Aortitis is a pathological term designating inflammation of the aortic wall, 
regardless of its cause. The clinical presentation of aortitis is nonspecific 
and variable. Symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, and weight loss; acute 
phase reactants may also be elevated. Aortitis can be caused by a wide spectrum 
of entities, including from infectious processes to autoimmune diseases 
(Takayasu arteritis and giant cell arteritis are among the most common of these 
causing aortitis), and the prognosis and treatment of these entities vary 
widely. Various imaging techniques can be used to evaluate the lumen and wall of 
the aorta (such as multidetector computed tomography, magnetic resonance 
imaging, angiography, or PET-CT). This review focuses on the most common 
diseases that cause aortitis and on the clinical and radiological findings that 
are most useful for diagnosing and treating this condition appropriately.