Positron emission tomography for the assessment of myocardial viability inKawasaki disease using different therapies

N-13-ammonia and F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) of the heart were performed on 30 children with a history of Kawasaki dise ase. The results indicated PET abnormalities in 61.1% of patients during th e acute and subacute stages and in 41.2% of patients in the convalescent st age of Kawasaki disease. Two-dimensional echocardiography and coronary angi ography could not predict the myocardial viability and perfusion as well as PET. Different therapies during the acute stage of the disease did not eff ectively prevent myocardial damage, despite the absence of coronary arteria l abnormalities. The patients who received 400 mg.kg(-1).day(-1) of intrave nous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for 5 days had a significantly lower incidence o f PET abnormalities than those who received a single dose of 2000 mg.kg(-1) IVIG (P < 0.05. ((C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins).