Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Cardiac MRI for four children with clinical diagnosis of acute myocarditis in the setting of COVID-19–related Kawasaki-like symptoms of MIS-C. The top panel demonstrates minimal pericardial effusion on cine images. The second panel demonstrates increased T2-STIR signal intensity with average ratios between myocardium and muscle > 2 in patient 2 (12-year-old male), patient 3 (11-year-old female) and patient 4 (6-year-old female). The third panel demonstrates abnormal native-T1 mapping, which was > 1,100 ms in patients 2, 3 and 4 and normal in patient 1 (8-year-old female). The bottom panel demonstrates absence of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in patients 2 and 3. Myocardial null times were recognized as too short in patient 4 but could not be repeated due to lack of further patient cooperation; however review of Look Locker images and additional sequences revealed no LGE. Image courtesy of RSNA.

This is Figure 2 from the article in Radiology: Acute encephalopathy. A 60 year-old-man without history of seizures presenting with convulsion. (A-B) Multifocal areas of FLAIR hyperintensity in the right cerebellum (arrows in A), left anterior cingular cortex and superior frontal gyrus (arrows in B). (C-D) Restricted diffusion in the left anterior cingulate cortex, superior frontal and middle temporal gyrus (arrows in D) and right cerebellum (arrows in E), consistent with cerebellar diaschisis. F) No hemosiderin deposits in gradient echo sequences.

Cardiac MR can offer data above and beyond anatomical imaging, which is the main reason why this system was installed at Baylor Scott White Heart Hospital in Dallas. The system is a dedicated heart MRI scanner.