Two cases of Kawasaki disease mimicking infectious cervical lymphadenitis or retropharyngeal abscess on CT respectively

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a disease of childhood characterized by systemic vasculitis of unknown origin, often associated with lymphadenopathy. We reported two cases of KD with neck pain and fever. The first presented with unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy, and the second with a retropharyngeal mass as detected by computed tomography (CT). Thus in our cases, the CT and clinical findings masqueraded as cervical lymphadenitis and retropharyngeal abscess, respectively, and the patients were treated with antibiotics alone until the characteristic skin changes of KD appeared. Thus, in children with cervical lymphadenopathy or retropharyngeal mass on CT, KD should be included in the differential diagnosis.