Yating Wei1, Cecilia W P Li-Tsang2, David C K Luk3, Teresa Tan4, Walei Zhang1, Tor Wo Chiu4. 1. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong. 2. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong. Electronic address: cecilia.li@polyu.edu.hk. 3. Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, United Christian Hospital, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong. 4. Division of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Vascularity and pigmentation are two important indicators of the maturing status of hypertrophic scars. We used the dermoscope to measure vascularity and pigmentation of hypertrophic scars to examine its validity and reliability. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Eighteen subjects were assessed using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), spectrocolorimeter and dermoscope. Correlations between the measurements by these tools and reliability parameters were examined. RESULTS: A strong correlation was found between the redness measured by spectrocolorimeter and the RGB redness values of dermoscope pictures (r=0.890). A correlation was found between the lightness measured by spectrocolorimeter and the lightness of dermoscope pictures (r=0.536), and between the lightness by spectrocolorimeter and the blanched dermoscope pictures (r=0.448). The calculated RGB values of redness of the dermoscope correlated with the VSS vascularity score (r=0.625); the transformed VSS pigmentation score correlated with the lightness of the blanched dermoscope pictures (r=0.783). The intra-class correlation coefficient (3, 1) of the dermoscope was 0.980 for the redness measurement and 0.965 for the lightness measurement, while the intra-class correlation coefficient (2, 2) was 0.930 for the dermoscope redness measurement and 0.871 for the dermoscope lightness. CONCLUSION: The dermoscope is a promising objective tool for vascularity and pigmentation assessments of hypertrophic scars with good validity and reliability.
INTRODUCTION: Vascularity and pigmentation are two important indicators of the maturing status of hypertrophic scars. We used the dermoscope to measure vascularity and pigmentation of hypertrophic scars to examine its validity and reliability. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Eighteen subjects were assessed using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), spectrocolorimeter and dermoscope. Correlations between the measurements by these tools and reliability parameters were examined. RESULTS: A strong correlation was found between the redness measured by spectrocolorimeter and the RGB redness values of dermoscope pictures (r=0.890). A correlation was found between the lightness measured by spectrocolorimeter and the lightness of dermoscope pictures (r=0.536), and between the lightness by spectrocolorimeter and the blanched dermoscope pictures (r=0.448). The calculated RGB values of redness of the dermoscope correlated with the VSS vascularity score (r=0.625); the transformed VSS pigmentation score correlated with the lightness of the blanched dermoscope pictures (r=0.783). The intra-class correlation coefficient (3, 1) of the dermoscope was 0.980 for the redness measurement and 0.965 for the lightness measurement, while the intra-class correlation coefficient (2, 2) was 0.930 for the dermoscope redness measurement and 0.871 for the dermoscope lightness. CONCLUSION: The dermoscope is a promising objective tool for vascularity and pigmentation assessments of hypertrophic scars with good validity and reliability.