Magnetic resonance angiography detection of vascular aneurysms in patients with kawasaki disease and coronary artery aneurysms

World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg. 2010 Oct;1(3):393-6. doi: 10.1177/2150135110381389.

Abstract

Kawasaki disease is a systemic panvasculitis that causes coronary artery aneurysms in approximately 15% to 25% of untreated patients. Systemic vascular aneurysms may also occur in medium-sized arteries throughout the body and may lead to increased morbidity and mortality in patients with Kawasaki disease. We report a case of diffuse systemic aneurysm formation in a 2-year-old patient with Kawasaki disease with coronary artery aneurysms. Full-body magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) imaging was utilized both in the acute phase and again prior to cardiac catheterization performed at 6 months from the acute illness. The initial MRA detected aneurysmal dilatation of the common and internal iliac arteries bilaterally in the acute phase. Subsequent MRA performed prior to cardiac catheterization 6 months later demonstrated resolution of the iliac artery lesions. Full-body MRA may be useful in screening for associated systemic vascular aneurysms in patients with Kawasaki disease and associated coronary artery aneurysms.

Keywords: Kawasaki disease; coronary artery aneurysm; iliac artery aneurysm; magnetic resonance angiography.