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Updated: May 12, 2026
07:07
Biomechanical Characterization of Human Soft Tissues Using Indentation and Tensile Testing
Published on: December 13, 2016
Scleroderma: skin stiffness assessment using the stress-strain relationship under progressive suction
Gérald E Piérard1, Trinh Hermanns-Lê, Claudine Piérard-Franchimont
1University of Liège, Laboratory of Skin Bioengineering and Imaging (LABIC), Liège, Belgium. gerald.pierard@ulg.ac.be
Expert Opinion on Medical Diagnostics
|March 28, 2013
Summary
This study used the Cutometer® to identify four stages of acroscleroderma progression based on skin viscoelasticity changes. Non-invasive biomechanical testing aids in clinical practice and drug development for systemic scleroderma.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Systemic scleroderma causes skin stiffening, a condition monitored by non-invasive biometrological methods.
- The Cutometer® has been utilized by clinical teams for years to assess skin properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the microscopic structure of dermal fibrous networks in scleroderma.
- To correlate these structural changes with alterations in skin viscoelasticity.
Main Methods:
- Employing the Cutometer® with a suction method.
- Utilizing a progressive stress-versus-strain modality to measure skin response.
Main Results:
- The Cutometer® test successfully documented early acroscleroderma progression.
- Four distinct stages of acroscleroderma were identified: incipient, progressive, overt, and regressive.
Conclusions:
- Non-invasive assessment of skin biomechanical functions is valuable for clinical management of scleroderma.
- This method complements, but does not replace, serum biomarker analysis in antisclerotic drug development.
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