Ultrasonic observation on impact of plateau sunlight radiation on skin thickness and hardness of normal subjects / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective: To observe the impact of plateau sunlight radiation on skin thickness and hardness with high frequency ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE). Methods: Totally 30 volunteers from plateau areas (plateau area group) and 48 volunteers from non-plateau areas (non-plateau area group) were enrolled. Skin thickness and skin hardness of right middle finger, right forearm, anterior chest wall and abdominal wall were measured with high frequency ultrasound and SWE and then compared between two groups. Diagnostic test of the above parameters which showed significant differences were performed, and ROC curve were drawn. Results: Skin thickness, maximum elastic value (Emax), average elastic value (Emean), minimum elastic value (Emin) and standard deviation (Esd) of right middle fingers, skin Emax, Emean, Emin of right forearms and anterior chest walls, skin Emax, Emean, Emin, Esd of abdominal walls of plateau area group were all higher than those of non-plateau area group (all P0.95. Taken skin Emax=13.30 kPa, Emean=12.45 kPa, Emin=11.50 kPa of abdominal wall as cut off values, the sensitivities in diagnosis of plateau skin were all 100%, and specificities were 85.40%, 87.50% and 85.40%, respectively. Conclusion: Plateau sunlight radiation lead to changes of skin thickness and make the skin harden. Skin Emax, Emean, Emin of abdominal wall have the highest diagnostic efficiencies.