Ultrasound Patterns of Vitiligo at High Frequency and Ultra-High Frequency

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Medical Imaging
• Ultrasound Technology

Background:

• Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by depigmentation.
• Current diagnostic methods primarily rely on clinical presentation.
• Subclinical alterations in skin layers may precede visible changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detect ultrasonographic anatomical alterations in all skin layers of vitiligo patients.
• To compare lesional areas with clinically healthy contralateral regions.
• To evaluate the utility of high-frequency and ultra-high-frequency ultrasound in vitiligo assessment.

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational color Doppler ultrasound study.
• Inclusion of nonsegmental face and/or neck vitiligo patients without prior treatment.
• High-frequency (24 MHz) and ultra-high-frequency (70 MHz) ultrasound with high axial spatial resolution.

Main Results:

• Epidermal undulation observed in 100% of vitiligo lesions versus 50% of healthy areas.
• Hypoechoic plaques in the upper dermis seen in 80% of vitiligo lesions.
• Dermal hypervascularity detected in 100% of affected regions and 40% of healthy regions.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound effectively identifies subclinical inflammatory patterns in vitiligo skin.
• Detected changes include epidermal, dermal, hair follicle, pilosebaceous unit, and sebaceous gland alterations.
• This noninvasive imaging modality aids in early detection, monitoring, and clinical trials for vitiligo management.