Natacha A Agabalyan1, Samuel Su2, Sarthak Sinha3, Vincent Gabriel4. 1. Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada. Electronic address: natacha.agabalyan@gmail.com. 2. Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada. Electronic address: sdsu@ucalgary.ca. 3. Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada. Electronic address: sarthak.chinoo@gmail.com. 4. Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Departments of Clinical Neurosciences, Surgery and Pediatrics, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Firefighters' Burn Treatment Centre, University of Calgary, Canada. Electronic address: vince.gabriel@albertahealthservices.ca.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Current methods for evaluating scar tissue volume following burns have shortcomings. The Vancouver Burn Scar scale is subjective, leading to a high variability in assessment. Although histological assessment via punch biopsy can discriminate between the different layers of skin, such an approach is invasive, inefficient, and detrimental to patient experience and wound healing. This study investigates the accuracy of high-frequency ultrasonography, a non-invasive alternative to histology, for measuring dermal and epidermal thickness in scar tissue. METHODS: Scar thicknesses of 10 patients following burns were assessed using a 2-D high-frequency ultrasound probe. The scars were then biopsied using a circular 4mm punch biopsy for histological assessment. Dermal, epidermal, and total thickness of the scar tissue was measured using ultrasound and histology, and correlations between the two measurements were calculated. RESULTS: There was not a strong correlation between ultrasound measurement and histological analysis for epidermal, dermal, and total thickness (Spearman's rank correlation of -0.1223, -0.6242, and -0.6242) of scar tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of scar thickness using high-frequency ultrasonography did not recapitulate the in vivo dermal, epidermal and total thickness. Based on these findings, strategies for further optimization of 2-D ultrasonography is discussed before clinical and research use.
OBJECTIVE: Current methods for evaluating scar tissue volume following burns have shortcomings. The Vancouver Burn Scar scale is subjective, leading to a high variability in assessment. Although histological assessment via punch biopsy can discriminate between the different layers of skin, such an approach is invasive, inefficient, and detrimental to patient experience and wound healing. This study investigates the accuracy of high-frequency ultrasonography, a non-invasive alternative to histology, for measuring dermal and epidermal thickness in scar tissue. METHODS: Scar thicknesses of 10 patients following burns were assessed using a 2-D high-frequency ultrasound probe. The scars were then biopsied using a circular 4mm punch biopsy for histological assessment. Dermal, epidermal, and total thickness of the scar tissue was measured using ultrasound and histology, and correlations between the two measurements were calculated. RESULTS: There was not a strong correlation between ultrasound measurement and histological analysis for epidermal, dermal, and total thickness (Spearman's rank correlation of -0.1223, -0.6242, and -0.6242) of scar tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of scar thickness using high-frequency ultrasonography did not recapitulate the in vivo dermal, epidermal and total thickness. Based on these findings, strategies for further optimization of 2-D ultrasonography is discussed before clinical and research use.
Authors: Jong Dae Kim; Suk Joon Oh; Sun Gyu Kim; Song Vogue Ahn; Yu Jin Jang; Ban Seok Yang; Ji Yun Jeong; Kwang Jo Kim Journal: Burns Trauma Date: 2018-08-06
Authors: K C Lee; A Bamford; F Gardiner; A Agovino; B Ter Horst; J Bishop; A Sitch; L Grover; A Logan; N S Moiemen Journal: Burns Date: 2019-07-19 Impact factor: 2.744
Authors: S Ud-Din; P Foden; K Stocking; M Mazhari; S Al-Habba; M Baguneid; D McGeorge; A Bayat Journal: Br J Dermatol Date: 2019-06-02 Impact factor: 9.302
Authors: Surya C Gnyawali; Mithun Sinha; Mohamed S El Masry; Brian Wulff; Subhadip Ghatak; Fidel Soto-Gonzalez; Traci A Wilgus; Sashwati Roy; Chandan K Sen Journal: PLoS One Date: 2020-11-23 Impact factor: 3.240