Cardiac–hepatic magnetic resonance findings in children with Kawasaki disease

Motivation: Kawasaki Disease (KD) is recognized for cardiac and coronary arterial impact, however its influence on the liver remains underexplored, especially in pediatric patients. Goal(s): Use T1 mapping to quantitatively evaluate cardiac-hepatic involvement and myocardial fibrosis in KD patients. Approach: Using a 3T MR scanner, T1 mapping was conducted on the heart and liver of 115 KD patients and 40 controls, with myocardial fibrosis being diagnosed through LGE. Results: KD patients displayed elevated cardiac and hepatic T1 values in both acute and chronic phases compared to controls. These values, in combined with sodium levels, were effective in identifying myocardial fibrosis in KD patients. Impact: This study demonstrated T1 mapping was a noninvasive tool for the comprehensive assessment of cardiac-hepatic involvement and myocardial fibrosis in KD patients.