Effects of radiation on skin surface contour: A study of immediate effects in pig skin

Cutaneous relief varies according to numerous external and internal parameters such as sex, ageing, moisturizing, effect of radiation. The purpose of this initial study was to measure the sensitivity of skin relief as a parameter which varies with the intensity of radiation.

For this study, the skin relief of 5 pigs irradiated with 90 Sr-90 Y β rays in different doses was evaluated over a period of 7 days after irradiation. From silicone rubber replicas taken on the skin relief, hard positive replicas were made. These were then used to quantify the skin topography with 3-D contact profilometry.

Whatever the dose, the vertical amplitude of the skin relief was lower in the irradiated areas than in the adjacent non-irradiated ones. A mean decrease of 10-15 % was detected as early as the first day after irradiation and reached large values (45%) in some animals.

3-D quantification of the skin relief can be used to quantify the modifications induced by irradiation. This method is interesting because it shows that it is possible to measure a significant variation only 1 day after irradiation, when no erythema is visible.