Papers of The 8th Japan Scar Workshop

2. Elasticity Quantification by Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse for the Assessment of Keloids

Keisuke Okabe1, Noriko Aramaki1 , Yoshitake Yamada2, Masahiro Jinzaki2 , Kazuo Kishi1
1:Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
2:Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan


Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) quantification, a novel ultrasound-based elastography method, has recently been used to assess some fibrotic lesions, such as liver fibrosis. However, few studies have been performed in skin keloids and hypertrophic scars. Here, we quantified the elasticity of 7 keloid lesions from 4 patients, before and in the course of steroid injection and patch therapy, using the ARFI-based elastography method. Elasticity of keloid lesions proved to be higher before and 1 month after treatment, and then decreased to about the same level as that of the surrounding normal skin tissues. Thickness and elasticity of the keloids correlated positively. The advantages of this method are that it is non-invasive, easy to perform, operator-independent, and reproducible. Moreover, we can measure the elasticity of specific regions inside the keloid by viewing tomographic images. Recently, it is widely said that the occurrence and invasion of keloids is closely related to the mechanical force and stiffness of the extracellular matrix. Whether or not the elasticity of keloids reflects the activity or long-term prognosis is yet to be elucidated.
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