The emerging role of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in the evaluation of Kawasaki disease

Sophie Mavrogeni, George Papadopoulos, Tarique Hussain, Amedeo Chiribiri, Rene Botnar, Gerald F. Greil

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a vasculitis affecting the coronary and systemic arteries. Myocardial inflammation is also a common finding in KD post-mortem evaluation during the acute phase of the disease. Coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) develop in 15-25 % of untreated children. Although 50-70 % of CAAs resolve spontaneously 1-2 years after the onset of KD, the remaining unresolved CAAs can develop stenotic lesions at either their proximal or distal end and can develop thrombus formation leading to ischemia and/or infarction. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has the ability to perform non-invasive and radiation-free evaluation of the coronary artery lumen. Recently tissue characterization of the coronary vessel wall was provided by CMR. It can also image myocardial inflammation, ischemia and fibrosis. Therefore CMR offers important clinical information during the acute and chronic phase of KD. In the acute phase, it can identify myocardial inflammation, microvascular disease, myocardial infarction, deterioration of left ventricular function, changes of the coronary artery lumen and changes of the coronary artery vessel wall. During the chronic phase, CMR imaging might be of value for risk stratification and to guide treatment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1787-1798
Number of pages12
JournalInternational Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
Volume29
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2013

Keywords

  • Cardiovascular magnetic resonance
  • Coronary aneurysm
  • Kawasaki disease
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Myocardial perfusion
  • Myocarditis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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