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High-frequency ultrasound measured cutaneous changes

High-frequency ultrasound is a noninvasive method to measure cutaneous changes related to age and photoexposure, but histology remains “the gold standard” for the study of the integumentary system, a study reported.

Researchers in Romania studied 160 patients (mean age, 40.4 years; 50% males) in 2011. The participants were divided evenly into four age groups: 20 years and younger, 21 to 40 years, 41 to 60 years and 61 to 80 years. A high-frequency ultrasonic evaluation was performed at three sites: dorsal forearm (DF), medial arm (MA) and zygomatic area (ZA). The DF and ZA sites were chosen as photoexposed areas; the MA was studied as a photoprotected area.

A DermaScan C device measured in vivo cross-sectional images of skin up to 2.5 cm in depth to determine thickness of the epidermis and dermis, and the number of low (LEP), medium and high (HEP) echogenic pixels. It also measured the ratio of LEP in the upper dermis and lower dermis (LEPs/LEPi) and subepidermal low echogenicity band.

Dermal thickness increase was found on all examined sites in the 21-40 age group (P<.0001). Researchers saw an increase in LEP, especially on the photoexposed DF and ZA, in the 41-60 and 61-80 age groups. At all three sites, HEP increased in the 21-40 group and decreased in the 41-60 and 61-80 groups. The LEPs/LEPi ratio increased with age at all sites (P<.05), with the largest gains at the DF and ZA, where a significant LEP increase in the upper dermis was observed.

“High-frequency ultrasound is a noninvasive ‘histological’ tool that can assess various cutaneous parameters such as skin thickness, dermal density and age-related echogenecity, but histology remains the gold standard for the study of the integumentary system,” the researchers concluded. “The identification of the dynamics of the ultrasonographic parameters with age can be used for future evaluation of the efficacy of various personalized topical anti-aging therapies.”