Takayasu's arteritis. Coloured angiogram X-ray of the axillary artery of a twenty-five year old oriental woman with Takayasu's arteritis. Arteriography is the examination, by x- ray, of arteries that have been injected with a radio- opaque contrast medium. The medium is injected through a catheter, (dark red tube at upper left). The contrast medium has become concentrated (dark line at centre) before a narrowing or block in the artery, due to inflammation. Takayasu's arteritis, also known as pulseless disease, is a rare, inflammatory disease of the aorta and its branches. It most commonly occurs in young oriental women.