Article

[Advantages of multislice spiral computed tomography for evaluation of serious coronary complications after Kawasaki disease].

Department of Pediatrics and Childhealth, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo.
Journal of Cardiology (impact factor: 1.28). 08/2007; 50(1):21-7. pp.21-7
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Novel multislice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) findings were identified in patients after Kawasaki disease that could not be detected by coronary angiography (CAG).
Eighteen patients had suffered from serious coronary arterial lesions after Kawasaki disease (mean age 21.7 years, range 13-34 years). Seventeen patients had stenotic lesions, and all of them had coronary aneurysms. MSCT was performed using a Siemens SOMATOM Volume Zoom (4-detector row) or a Toshiba Aquillion 16 (16-detector row). Findings of coronary calcification, stenotic lesion, and intimal hypertrophy in all coronary arteries were compared to those of CAG.
Eleven of the 18 patients (61%) had novel findings detected by MSCT. Coronary calcifications were found in 11 of the 18 patients (61%). Five patients had concentric calcified aneurysms, four had eccentric calcified aneurysms, and two had mixed calcified aneurysms. Coronary stenotic lesions were present in 6 of the 18 patients (33%) with calcified aneurysms. Two patients had intimal hypertrophy (11%). One patient had intimal hypertrophy along the left main trunk with a giant calcified aneurysm along the left anterior descending artery. Two patients had severe stenoses just distal to giant calcified aneurysms that were regarded as false positive findings, and were identified as mild stenoses by CAG.
MSCT offers advantages over CAG in the evaluation of calcified aneurysms and intimal hypertrophy, and is a potential diagnostic modality for coronary intervention in patients after Kawasaki disease.

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    Article: Kawasaki syndrome: an intriguing disease with numerous unsolved dilemmas.
    Fernanda Falcini, Serena Capannini, Donato Rigante
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    ABSTRACT: ABSTRACT: More than 40 years have passed since Kawasaki syndrome (KS) was first described. Yet KS still remains an enigmatic illness which damages the coronary arteries in a quarter of untreated patients and is the most common cause of childhood-acquired heart disease in developed countries. Many gaps exist in our knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of KS, making improvements in therapy difficult. In addition, many KS features and issues still demand further efforts to achieve a much better understanding of the disease. Some of these problem areas include coronary artery injuries in children not fulfilling the classic diagnostic criteria, genetic predisposition to KS, unpredictable ineffectiveness of current therapy in some cases, vascular dysfunction in patients not showing echocardiographic evidence of coronary artery abnormalities in the acute phase of KS, and risk of potential premature atherosclerosis. Also, the lack of specific laboratory tests for early identification of the atypical and incomplete cases, especially in infants, is one of the main obstacles to beginning treatment early and thereby decreasing the incidence of cardiovascular involvement. Transthoracic echocardiography remains the gold-standard for evaluation of coronary arteries in the acute phase and follow-up. In KS patients with severe vascular complications, more costly and potentially invasive investigations such as coronary CT angiography and MRI may be necessary. As children with KS with or without heart involvement become adolescents and adults, the recognition and treatment of the potential long term sequelae become crucial, requiring that rheumatologists, infectious disease specialists, and cardiologists cooperate to develop specific guidelines for a proper evaluation and management of these patients. More education is needed for physicians and other professionals about how to recognize the long-term impact of systemic problems related to KS.
    Pediatric Rheumatology 07/2011; 9:17. · 1.44 Impact Factor
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Keywords

16-detector row
 
18 patients
 
calcified aneurysms
 
coronary angiography
 
coronary arteries
 
coronary calcification
 
Coronary calcifications
 
coronary intervention
 
Coronary stenotic lesions
 
false positive findings
 
giant calcified aneurysm
 
giant calcified aneurysms
 
Kawasaki disease
 
left anterior descending artery
 
left main trunk
 
mild stenoses
 
serious coronary arterial lesions
 
Siemens SOMATOM Volume Zoom
 
stenotic lesion
 
Toshiba Aquillion 16