Dipyridamole stress ultrasonic myocardial tissue characterization in patients with Kawasaki disease

Dipyridamole stress integrated backscatter (IBS) was used for evaluation of myocardial ischemia or damage in 31 children with coronary artery lesions caused by Kawasaki disease, in comparison with thallium-201 myocardial imag ing. All patients underwent echocardiography at rest and after dipyridamole stress at the anterior interventricular septum, posterior wall (PW), and i nferior wall (INF). At rest, no significant difference was seen in cyclic v ariation (CV) of IBS in the regions with normal or abnormal distribution on T1-201 Imaging. But in the regions showing abnormal distribution after str ess, CV decreased significantly, A delayed study after stress showed the re covery of CV to the level at rest in all patients. Sensitivity of abnormal cyclic variation integrated backscatter was 75% in the PW and 91% in the IN F, and specificity was 91% in the PW and 90% in the INF, compared with the results of thallium-201 imaging, Dipyridamole stress IBS can provide sensit ive detection of myocardial ischemia or damage in Kawasaki disease.