Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 21, 2026
Imaging Features of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
Published on: June 16, 2020
Technical feasibility of real-time elastography to assess the peri-oral region in patients affected by systemic
Paola Maria Cannaò1, Valeriano Vinci2, Fabio Caviggioli3
1Scuola di Specializzazione in Radiodiagnostica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Festa del Perdono 7, 20100 Milano, Italy.
Purpose:
To evaluate the technical feasibility of real-time elastography (RTE) to assess the stiffness of the skin of the peri-oral region in patients affected by systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Methods:
Six female patients affected by SSc (median age = 52 years) presenting with microstomia and six healthy controls matched for age and sex underwent RTE evaluation of the peri-oral region. Two operators with different experience evaluated the stiffness of the peri-oral region placing the probe in four different positions: parasagittal left (PL), parasagittal right (PR), upper axial (UA), lower axial (LA). Color map was converted into a semi-quantitative scale in which blue = 1, green = 2 and red = 3. Thus, each subject had a variable score ranging from 4 (four positions × value = 1) and 12 (four positions × value = 3). Mann-Whitney U and k statistics were used.
Results:
RTE demonstrated that the skin of the peri-oral region of patients affected by SSc was stiffer than that of controls, both overall (6;4-6 [median; 25-75th percentile] vs. 11;9-11, p < 0.001) and for each probe position (PL = 1;1-2 vs. 2;2-3, PR = 1;1-2 vs. 2;2-3, UA = 1;1-2 vs. 2;2-3; LA = 1;1-1 vs. 3;3-3, p ≤ 0.011 for all). Interobserver reproducibility was excellent both overall and for each probe position (k = 1).
Conclusion:
RTE is a feasible modality to assess peri-oral region skin stiffness with excellent interobserver reproducibility. Further studies on a larger cohort of patients including more clinical data and measures are warranted to confirm our initial results.
