The relationship between the degree of skin fibrosis by sonoelastography and the degree of pulmonary involvement in scleroderma

Abstract

Background/aim: This study aimed to assess the relationship between skin fibrosis as determined by sonoelastography and the degree of pulmonary involvement as determined by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc). Materials and methods:This prospective study included 40 patients with dcSSc. All patients with HRCT scans underwent conventional ultrasonography and sonoelastography to determine skin thickness and degree of fibrosis. The degree of fibrosis was classified according to color-scale sonoelastography. The degree of pulmonary involvement was classified according to HRCT grading groups. The relationship between skin fibrosis and pulmonary involvement was investigated.Results: There was a statistically significant difference between HRCT grading groups according to the sonoelastographic color scale (P < 0.001). Sonoelastographic color-scale groups showed a statistically significant difference in duration of disease (P = 0.013). No significant difference was found between the sonoelastographic color-scale groups in age, sex, or skin thickness. Conclusion:Sonoelastography is a useful and reliable tool for assessing skin involvement in dcSSc. We found a good correlation between the degree of skin fibrosis as determined by sonoelastography and the degree of pulmonary involvement.

The role of ultrasound in systemic sclerosis: On the cutting edge to foster clinical and research advancement

“…81 Several studies have assessed skin stiffness using shearwave elastography [83][84][85][86] or qualitative colour-scale US elastography. 87 Overall, these studies found significantly higher shear-wave velocity values in SSc patients than in controls, at almost all of the Rodnan skin sites. [83][84][85][86] In addition, Yang et al 83 reported that the skin stiffness as assessed by skin wave elastography was more sensitive to detect subtle skin changes than B-mode US.…”

Assessment of the skin with 2D‐shear wave elastography in the systemic scleroderma and its correlation with pulmonary involvement

“…There is only one study in the literature that compare skin stiffness detected by US elastography with lung involvement. In this study, semiquantitative strain US elastography method were used 16 . Skin stiffness was classified according to the color scale, but patients with low firmness were not included in this study.…”

“…In this study, semiquantitative strain US elastography method were used. 16 Skin stiffness was classified according to the color scale, but patients with low firmness were not included in this study. It has been reported that there is a relationship between moderate and high skin stiffness and lung involvement.…”

Ultrasound and elastography in the assessment of skin involvement in systemic sclerosis: A systematic literature review focusing on validation and standardization – WSF Skin Ultrasound Group

“…Elastography was described in a quantitative or in a semi-quantitative color scale 35,68,[71][72][73] (table S3). Quantitative values were reported in different units across studies, i.e., meters per second, m/s; elastic modulus in Kilopascal, kPa; or global percentage of hardness.…”