Comparison of Skin Thickness in Lymphedema Using Ultrasonography and Skin Biopsy

Yeo, Un Cheol

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dermascan-C(R)(Cortex technology, Denmark) is the 20MHz high-frequency ultrasonographic instrument which is suitable for skin measurement due to its high resolution compared to conventional 10MHz ultrasonographic machine. High frequency ultrasonography has been used for evaluating skin thickness by several investigators. There has been little data regarding to the evaluation of lymphedema using high-frequency ultrasonography.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we examined skin thickness of lymphedema using Dermascan-C(R) and compared the results with those of skin biopsy.
METHODS
Eight patients with various clinical stage of lymphedema were investigated. Skin biopsy and ultrasonographic measurement was done at the same lymphedema sites. In skin biopsy skin thickness was measured from horny layer to dermosubcutaneous junction. In ultrasonographic evaluation, the same site was measured using automatic algorithm provided by in-built image analyzer in Dermascan-C(R).
RESULTS
In five cases, the skin thickness measured by both methods are consistent, but in three cases it was impossible to measure skin thickness using Dermascan-C(R).
CONCLUSION
Ultrasonographic evaluation using Dermascan-C(R) could be useful to measure skin thickness in lymphedema. But, measuring skin thickness using Dermascan-C(R) is difficult when the skin is very edematous or has subcutaneous fibrosis.