Detection of skin thickness and echo density in healthy adults by using high-frequency ultrasound / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To measure the thickness and echo density of the skin at multiple sites of healthy adults by using high-frequency ultrasound.Methods A total of 50 healthy volunteers were enrolled from Department of Dermatology and Venereology,China-Japan Friendship Hospital between June and December in 2018,including 33 females and 17 males aged 22-69 years.The thickness and echo density of the epidermis,dermis and epidermis-dermis layer were detected by using high-frequency ultrasound at 12 sites,including the forehead,cheek,chest,abdomen,and the inner and outer sides of the upper arm,forearm,thigh and leg.The means of two groups were compared by using t test,and means of several groups were compared by using one-way analysis of variation.Results High-frequency skin ultrasound images differed among different anatomical sites.There were significant differences in the thickness and echo density of the epidermis,dermis and epidermis-dermis layer among the 12 sites (P ＜ 0.05).The epidermis was thickest at the inner side of the thigh (160.68 μm ± 25.71 μm),the dermis was thickest at the cheek(1 828.78 μm ± 399.10 μm),and the epidermis-dermis layer was thickest at the cheek (1 943.48 μm ± 402.4 μm).The echo density of the epidermis,dermis and epidermis-dermis layer was highest at the inner side of the leg (152.27 ± 21.56),forearm (52.71 ± 15.57) and forearm (62.56 ± 15.76) respectively.The thickness of the epidermis,dermis and epidermis-dermis layer at the forehead,cheek and the inner side of the forearm was significantly higher in male volunteers than in female volunteers (P ≤ 0.05 or ＜ 0.01),while the echo density of the dermis and epidermis-dermis layer at the forehead,cheek and the outer side of the leg was significantly lower in male volunteers than in female volunteers (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01).Conclusion Differences exist in skin thickness and echo density among different anato mical sites and between male and female healthy adults.