Principles of dermatologic ultrasound diagnostics

Ultrasound is a valuable diagnostic tool widely used in medicine. Recently, high-frequency ultrasonography has been introduced to dermatology owing to technical advances. Currently, the most often used frequency for skin imaging is between 20 and 25 MHz. Ultrasound images can be generated in different modes, i.e. one-dimensional A mode, two-dimensional B mode and C mode. This type of skin imaging is known as a noninvasive, reproducible and quantitative method, which can be used to evaluate skin characteristics in a variety of dermatologic diseases. It can found application in the assessment of skin tumors, morphea, psoriasis, lipodermatosclerosis, skin aging and photodamage, hypertrophic scars, wound healing processes and allergic reactions. Although skin ultrasonography and its clinical applications are still being explored, most probably it will be implemented in the routine dermatologic diagnosis in the forthcoming future.