Ultrasound as a diagnostic and management tool in hidradenitis suppurativa patients: a multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that clinical evaluation consistently underestimates the severity of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). OBJECTIVE: To determine the usefulness of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in HS compared with clinical examination and to assess the subsequent modification of disease management. METHODS: Cross-sectional multicentre study. Severity classification and therapeutic approach according to clinical vs. ultrasound examination were compared. RESULTS: Of 143 HS patients were included. Clinical examination scored 38, 70 and 35 patients as Hurley stage I, II and III, respectively; with ultrasound examination, 21, 80 and 42 patients were staged with Hurley stage I, II and III disease, respectively (P < 0.01). In patients with stage I classification as determined by clinical examination, 44.7% changed to a more severe stage. Clinical examination indicated that 44.1%, 54.5% and 1.4% of patients would maintain, increase or decrease treatment, respectively. For ultrasound examination, these percentages were 31.5%, 67.1% and 1.4% (P < 0.01). Concordance between clinical and ultrasound intra-rater examination was 22.8% (P < 0.01); intra-rater and inter-rater (radiologist) ultrasound agreement was 94.9% and 81.7%, respectively (P < 0.01). LIMITATIONS: The inability to detect lesions that measure ≤0.1 mm or with only epidermal location. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound can modify the clinical staging and therapeutic management in HS by detecting subclinical disease.

Clinical and color Doppler ultrasound evaluation of polyacrylamide injection in HIV patients with severe facial lipoatrophy secondary to antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Facial lipoatrophy in HIV patients, secondary to antiretroviral therapy (ART) with thymidine analogs, has been related to important psychosocial alterations and poor adherence to treatment. Polyacrylamide gel (PAAG) is a filler that has been used for treating facial lipoatrophy in HIV patients. The aim was to assess the clinical and sonographic anatomical changes after injection of PAAG in HIV patients with facial lipoatrophy secondary to ART. METHODS: HIV patients receiving ART and suffering from severe facial lipoatrophy were recruited and underwent clinical and color Doppler ultrasound evaluation prior to PAAG application (AQUAMID® ) and sonographically monitored at 18 months and clinically followed up for 36 months after the procedure. Adverse effects were recorded based on occurrence and complexity. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients were evaluated, 30 men (91%) and 3 women (9%) with an average age of 49.6 years (±8.4). Clinical improvement assessed by a dermatologist had an average score of 5.9 (±0.7) on a scale of 1-7. On color Doppler ultrasound there was a significant increase of the thickness of the subcutaneous tissue (SCT) in both nasofold lines when comparing before and after PAAG injection (P < 0.01) and no signs of inflammation (hypervascularity). User satisfaction was qualified as excellent or good in all cases. Only two patients experienced adverse effects (hematoma and puncture site infection), which was successfully managed without consequences. CONCLUSION: Treatment of facial lipoatrophy with PAAG seems to be effective in HIV patients and no signs of complications were observed in the monitoring at 36 months after injection. Color Doppler ultrasound can identify the filler deposits and the anatomical changes of the SCT non-invasively.

Pain and inflammation in hidradenitis suppurativa correspond to morphological changes identified by high-frequency ultrasound.

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is an inflammatory skin disease with a chronic intermittent course. The current classification systems used to categorize disease severity provide limited insight into the degree of inflammation and pain, which are key symptoms of the disease. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the correlation and validity of simple patient- and investigator-assessed items related to inflammation with morphological changes identified by high-frequency ultrasound in HS. METHODS: Twenty patients with the clinical diagnosis of HS were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent clinical examinations during which one representative inflammatory nodule was selected in each patient based on the anamnestic information, patient experience and clinical presentation. Tenderness and flare activity of the representative nodule were graded by the patients and erythema by the investigator. Subsequently, all patients underwent high-resolution ultrasound scanning of their representative nodule. RESULTS: We found significant associations between the size of the representative nodule (the diameter in the transverse plane) and patient assessments of flare activity and tenderness. Moreover, we found a marked association between the size of the nodules and investigator assessment of erythema. CONCLUSION: Patient assessments of flare activity and pain, and investigator assessment of erythema are strongly associated with morphological changes identified using ultrasound, suggesting that these patient- and investigator-assessed items might be strong indicators of the degree of present inflammation in HS.

Ultrasound as predictor of histologic subtypes linked to recurrence in basal cell carcinoma of the skin.

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) recurrences, especially in the facial region, represent a complex cosmetic problem. To date the possibility of predicting recurrence is supported solely by the histologic subtype. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between BCC histologic subtypes linked to high and low risk of recurrence and the presence of hyperechoic spots on sonography. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the pre-surgical ultrasound examinations of primary BCC tumours with visualization and counting of intra-tumoural hyperechoic spots. The data were then correlated with the corresponding histologic subtype. RESULTS: Thirty one patients with histologically proven BCC were included in the study. Hyperechoic spots were detected in all cases and there was a positive, statistically significant association between hyperechoic spots count and high recurrence risk histologic subtypes. Higher hyperechoic spots count was found in the recurrence-prone micronodular, sclerosing variant and morpheiform BCC subtypes. Low risk and high risk of recurrence showed a significant difference on the mean hyperechoic spots count of 5.5 (range: 3-25) and 8 (4-81). A cut-off point ≥7 hyperechoic spots presented a sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 53% for predicting the high risk of recurrence subtypes. CONCLUSION: The presence and count of hyperechoic spots within BCC lesions may help predicting the high risk of recurrence histologic subtypes.

[Color Doppler ultrasound of the scalp and hair]. / Ecotomografía Doppler color de cuero cabelludo y pelo.

Color Doppler ultrasound is an imaging technique that allows the study of frequent diseases of the scalp and hair. This examination provides anatomical and functional information in real time that can reveal the extent, activity or severity of common diseases in a non-invasive way, and allows monitoring of their treatment.

Finger retronychias detected early by 3D ultrasound examination.

BACKGROUND: A new pattern of ingrown nail, called retronychia is involved in the posterior translation of the whole nail unit producing paronychia. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate an unusual case of paronychia that affected three of the fingers on the right hand. METHODS: We used 3D ultrasound to study the whole nail unit in the fingers of both the affected (right) and non affected (left) hand. RESULTS: Backward motion of the nail unit with decreased distance between the origin of the nail plates and the distal interphalangeal joint was clearly demonstrated by 3D ultrasound in the affected fingers. CONCLUSION: 3D ultrasound provides non invasive and more understandable information about the physiopathological changes in retronychia.

Ultrasound detection and identification of cosmetic fillers in the skin.

BACKGROUND: While the incidence of cosmetic filler injections is rising world-wide, neither exact details of the procedure nor the agent used are always reported or remembered by the patients. Thus, although complications are reportedly rare, availability of a precise diagnostic tool to detect cutaneous filler deposits could help clarify the association between the procedure and the underlying pathology. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate cutaneous sonography in the detection and identification of cosmetic fillers deposits and, describe dermatological abnormalities found associated with the presence of those agents. METHODS: We used ultrasound in a porcine skin model to determine the sonographic characteristics of commonly available filler agents, and subsequently applied the analysis to detect and identify cosmetic fillers among patients referred for skin disorders. RESULTS: Fillers are recognizable on ultrasound and generate different patterns of echogenicity and posterior acoustic artefacts. Cosmetic fillers were identified in 118 dermatological patients; most commonly hyaluronic acid among degradable agents and silicone oil among non-degradable. Fillers deposits were loosely scattered throughout the subcutaneous tissue, with occasional infiltration of local muscles and loco-regional lymph nodes. Accompanying dermatopathies were represented by highly localized inflammatory processes unresponsive to conventional treatment, morphea-like reactions, necrosis of fatty tissue and epidermal cysts; in the case of non-degradable agents, the associated dermatopathies were transient, resolving upon disappearance of the filler. CONCLUSIONS: Cosmetic filler agents may be detected and identified during routine ultrasound of dermatological lesions; the latter appear to be pathologically related to the cosmetic procedure.

Hypervascular Pseudonodular Plaque-Like Ultrasound Morphology in Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia. / Morfología ecográfica en placa pseudonodular hipervascular en hiperplasia angiolinfoide.

Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is a benign vascular proliferation characterized by solitary or multiple angiomatous lesions. It is most common in young or middle-aged women, and the lesions typically affect the head and neck, showing a particular predilection for the periauricular region. The differential diagnosis in patients with ALHE is broad and includes both benign and malignant conditions. We report on a series of cases of periauricular ALHE in which ultrasound imaging revealed an hypervascular, pseudonodular and plaque-like morphology with clinical and histologic correlations. It also evidenced vascular communication between lesions that appeared to be separate on clinical examination. Familiarity with such ultrasound presentations could help to improve diagnostic accuracy and facilitate disease monitoring in patients with ALHE.

Idiopathic Facial Aseptic Granuloma: Updated Review of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Difficulties. / Granuloma aséptico facial idiopático: revisión actualizada de las dificultades diagnósticas y terapéuticas.

Idiopathic facial aseptic granuloma is a pediatric skin condition involving asymptomatic reddish nodules. The etiology and pathogenesis is still under discussion, although the literature tends to place this condition within the spectrum of childhood rosaceas. The clinical course is chronic but benign, and cases have been reported to resolve spontaneously in less than a year. Even though no well-defined treatment has emerged, a conservative approach that avoids aggressive therapies is preferred.

Color Doppler Ultrasound Study of Glomuvenous Malformations with its Clinical and Histologic Correlations. / Ecografía Doppler color en malformaciones glomuvenosas con correlación clínica e histológica.

Glomuvenous malformations are hamartomatous lesions characterized by the presence of glomus cells in the vascular smooth muscle. We present the clinical and color Doppler ultrasound features of a series of 13 cases of histologically confirmed glomuvenous malformations. In all cases, the ultrasound study revealed moderately delimited superficial dermal and hypodermal pseudonodular structures of mixed echogenicity, with hypoechoic and heterogeneous areas and anechoic, pseudocystic tubular and lacunar zones. Arterial and venous vessels, mainly with a low flow (≤ 15cm/s) were observed in 85% of patients, but no arteriovenous shunts were present. Deeper structures were not affected and no phleboliths were detected. The clinical and ultrasound findings could facilitate diagnosis, surgical planning, and noninvasive follow-up in these tumors.