A case of Kawasaki disease resembling retropharyngeal abscess

Abstract

Kawasaki disease is an acute febrile disease commonly occurring in infants. The disease is characterized by systemic vasculitis. Kawasaki disease and retropharyngeal abscess in the early stage are difficult to differentiate because the clinical symptoms and image findings are similar. We herein report a case of Kawasaki disease with retropharyngeal abscess-like lesion. The patient was a six-year-old girl. She presented with a fever, left neck swelling and pain. Computed tomography revealed a retropharyngeal low-density lesion without ring enhancement. She had five major symptoms of Kawasaki disease, so we administered γ -globulin. As a result, her symptoms were relieved. In Kawasaki disease, the early diagnosis is important because treatment is required before coronary artery aneurysm formation. Our cases suggest that contrast-enhanced computed tomography, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and blood test findings are useful for the early diagnosis of Kawasaki disease.