Yujia Yang1, Feng Yan2, Liyun Wang1, Xi Xiang1, Yuanjiao Tang1, Qiu Li3, Lv Xiaoyan4. 1. Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. 2. Department of Ultrasound; and Clinical Ultrasound Imaging Drug Research Lab, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. yan_feng@scu.edu.cn. 3. Department of Ultrasound, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. wsqiuli@126.com. 4. Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To assess the diagnostic value of shear wave elastography (SWE) quantification in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and healthy controls. METHODS: Skin elastic modulus (E) values and thicknesses were measured at 6 skin sites between the SSc (n=37) and control (n=37) groups. Thickness and E values were converted into T- and E-scores, to allow skin thickness and stiffness of different regions to be quantified based on a single standard. T- and E-scores were compared with the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). RESULTS: E values were significantly higher in SSc patients than healthy controls at all measured sites (p<0.001), whereas skin thickness increased significantly only at fingers and forearms (p<0.001). E-score analysis revealed mRSS differences within 1.0 at most sites, while T- score evaluation only showed differences between mRSS 0 and mRSS 1 at fingers. Interestingly, mRSS correlated more closely with skin stiffness (r=0.889, p<0.001) than skin thickness (r=0.465, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with SSc, SWE is more sensitive to detect subtle skin changes than B-mode ultrasound (US), and reflect the degree of skin involvement. As a non-invasive and operator-independent technique, SWE may provide a new and valuable method to evaluate the degree and changes of skin involvement in SSc patients.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the diagnostic value of shear wave elastography (SWE) quantification in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and healthy controls. METHODS: Skin elastic modulus (E) values and thicknesses were measured at 6 skin sites between the SSc (n=37) and control (n=37) groups. Thickness and E values were converted into T- and E-scores, to allow skin thickness and stiffness of different regions to be quantified based on a single standard. T- and E-scores were compared with the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). RESULTS: E values were significantly higher in SSc patients than healthy controls at all measured sites (p<0.001), whereas skin thickness increased significantly only at fingers and forearms (p<0.001). E-score analysis revealed mRSS differences within 1.0 at most sites, while T- score evaluation only showed differences between mRSS 0 and mRSS 1 at fingers. Interestingly, mRSS correlated more closely with skin stiffness (r=0.889, p<0.001) than skin thickness (r=0.465, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with SSc, SWE is more sensitive to detect subtle skin changes than B-mode ultrasound (US), and reflect the degree of skin involvement. As a non-invasive and operator-independent technique, SWE may provide a new and valuable method to evaluate the degree and changes of skin involvement in SSc patients.
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