Coronary aneurysm in Kawasaki disease
Posted by: Johnson Francis on: 09 Apr, 2009
Modified parasternal short axis view in Kawasaki disease (mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome) with coronary aneurysm. The right coronary artery (RCA) arising from the aorta (AO) is seen to be grossly dilated. The proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) and left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) are dilated. Coronary aneurysms are characteristic features of Kawasaki disease. Any case of Kawasaki disease needs regular echocardiographic follow up for early detection of coronary aneurysms. In addition to intravenous immunoglobulin given in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease, infliximab has been used in cases with coronary aneurysms. Echocardiography in Kawasaki disease has to be done meticulously with measurement of coronary dimensions and assessing them in relation to the nomogram for the age as the coronary diameter varies with age in children. The vertical light and dark bands seen in the image are recording artefacts which can be ignored.
