Segmental bowel-wall thickening on abdominal ultrasonography: an additional diagnostic sign in Kawasaki disease.
Abdominal complaints are a frequent early feature of Kawasaki disease, an acute systemic febrile vasculitis of childhood. The only well known correlating morphological finding on abdominal US is gallbladder hydrops. We report two boys with Kawasaki disease who showed segmental thickening of the small-bowel wall on abdominal US. These changes are thought to result from bowel-wall oedema due to vasculitis of the supplying vessels. We conclude that in an acutely ill febrile child with the finding of segmental bowel-wall thickening on abdominal US, Kawasaki disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis. The search for gallbladder hydrops and segmental bowel-wall thickening on abdominal US may serve as an important diagnostic tool in Kawasaki disease, supporting early recognition and prompt treatment.
Department of Radiology, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstrasse 35, Innsbruck, Austria. kathrin.maurer@i-med.ac.at
Kathrin
K
Maurer
Karin Maria
KM
Unsinn
Maria
M
Waltner-Romen
Ralf
R
Geiger
Ingmar
I
Gassner
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009080:Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography