Usefulness of Tc-99m Hmpao-Labeled Wbc Heart Scan to Predict Impaired Ventricular Function and Coronary Artery Dilation in Children with Kawasaki Disease

Forty-nine children with Kawasaki disease were included in this study. Based on the severity of carditis as determined by Tc-99m HMPAO-labeled WBC heart scan, the children were separated into two groups. Group A (n = 24) had significant carditis and group B (17 25) did not have significant carditis. The left and right ventricular ejection fractions( LVEF and RVEF ) were evaluated by equilibrium multigated blood pooling ventriculography. Diameters of the left and right coronary arteries (LCA and RCA) were measured by two- dimensional echocardiography. The results showed that group A had lower LVEF and RVEF, but larger diameters of the LCA and RCA than those of group B patients. The sensitivity of significant carditis to predict left ventricular dysfunction , right ventricular dysfunction, LCA dilation and RCA dilation was 88.9. 70.6, 75, and 71.4%, respectively; the specificities were 100, 100, 100, and 67.9%, respectively. Our findings suggest that significant carditis determined by Tc-99m HMPAO- labeled WBC heart scan can accurately predict impaired ventricular function and coronary artery dilation.( C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved