Advanced Doppler Ultrasound Insights: A Multicenter Prospective Study on Healthy Skin
<b>Background:</b> There have been multiple studies on the use of Doppler ultrasound to define skin inflammation, but the visible vessels of healthy skin have yet to be described. <b>Objective:</b> This study aimed to evaluate the visible vessels of healthy skin using Doppler ultrasound. <b>Methods:</b> Prospective multicenter study using Doppler ultrasound to analyze healthy skin. The color percentage, flow velocity, and maximum vessel diameter were calculated. <b>Results:</b> 943 images from 152 patients were recorded. The most frequently used mode was color Doppler (40.6%), followed by power Doppler (30.4%). Visible vessels were detected in 18.23%; in positive Doppler images, color occupied less than 5%. The malar region exhibited the highest visible vessels. The 22 MHz probe detected smaller vessels with slower flows than the 18 MHz probe. Spectral Doppler showed peak systolic values of less than 10 cm/s and a vessel diameter of less than 1 mm. In most of the participating centers, the operators had less than 10 years of experience in performing skin ultrasound examinations. Sensitivity of the Doppler may vary according to the device. <b>Conclusions:</b> With the used ultrasound equipment, it was uncommon to visualize vessels in healthy skin. When seen, they covered less than 5% of the image with low flow and small size.
Authors
- Jordi Mollet
- Francisco Javier García‐Martínez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0175-8123)
- Priscila Giavedoni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1474-9261)
- Miquel Just (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9649-9250)
- Gonzalo Aldámiz‐Echevarría (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6369-448X)
- Patricia Garbayo‐Salmons (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3325-6785)
- Ximena Wortsman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3359-5023)
- Josep Malvehy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6998-914X)
- Jorge Romaní (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6134-5155)
- Sebastián Podlipnik (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4150-0522)
- Irene Fuertes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9314-1843)
- Laura Serra (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2717-1286)
- Emilio López-Trujillo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3784-7670)
- Rafael Aguayo Ortiz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1690-1618)
- Marc Combalia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5237-4256)
- X. Soria (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5644-1214)
- Carlos González (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1656-7883)
- Esther Roé Crespo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1601-9227)
- D. Vidal Sarró
- Francisco de Cabo
Institutions
- Hospital de Sant Pau (ES)
- Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova (ES)
- Institute for Diagnostic Imaging and Research of the Skin and Soft Tissues (CL)
- University Hospital Mútua de Terrassa (ES)
- Hospital General de Granollers (ES)
- Hospital Clínic de Barcelona (ES)
- Hospital d'Igualada (ES)
- Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari (ES)
- Parc de Salut (ES)
- Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor (ES)
- Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII de Tarragona (ES)
- Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol (ES)
- University of Chile (CL)
- Universidad Europea de Madrid (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Diagnostics
- Published
- 2025-02-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15050569
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Dermatologic Treatments and Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.01