OBJECTIVE To determine the sensitivity and specificity of our transthoracic echocardiographic technique using high frequency (7.5 MHz) transducers for identification of the presence and type of coronary artery disease in patients with Kawasaki disease.

DESIGN The results of the prospective echocardiographic study in each of seven segments of the four major coronary arteries were compared with the selective coronary angiograms.

SETTING Kitasato University Hospital.

SUBJECTS 60 patients with Kawasaki disease, ranging in age from 8.0 months to 22 years (median, 6.0 years).

RESULTS Adequate echocardiographic images were obtained in 397 (95%) of 420 coronary segments. Coronary angiography showed the presence of coronary aneurysms in 87 segments and stenosis or occlusion in 28. The overall sensitivity and specificity of cross sectional echocardiography for correctly identifying coronary aneurysms were 95% and 99%, respectively; for correctly identifying coronary stenosis or occlusion the values were 85% and 98% for the right coronary artery, and 80% and 97% for the left anterior descending coronary artery. Agreement on the presence or absence of coronary aneurysms and obstructive lesions on echocardiograms between the two observers was 1.0 and 0.98, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS Echocardiography may provide a non-invasive means of identifying the presence and type of coronary artery disease in patients with Kawasaki disease.