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Abstract
Aim of the work: To evaluate the skin and subcutaneous tissue thickness, echogenicity and vascularity in 30 SSc patients by using high frequency ultrasound and color Doppler, and compare it with healthy control group. Results: the dermis was significantly higher in thickness and lower in echogenicity in SSc patients compared to the control subjects. Dermis was higher in thickness and lower in echogenicity in both the leg and chest in diffuse SSc compared to limited SSc. The hypodermis was lower in thickness and higher in echogenicity in SSc patients in both phalanx and hand compared to controls, also the hypodermis was lower in thickness in both phalanx and hand in diffuse SSc compared to limited SSc patients. There was a negative correlation between disease duration and dermis thickness except at the chest, also there was a negative correlation between disease duration and hypodermis thickness in the phalanx, hand and chest. The Doppler shows no statistical difference between SSc patients and controls and between diffuse and limited types of SSc. Conclusion: High frequency ultrasound is a reliable non invasive method that can reflects the severity of skin and subcutaneous tissue involvement in SSc patients periodic assessment of skin and subcutaneous tissue can help to monitor the progression of the disease.