Ultrasonography patterns of atopic dermatitis in children

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common allergic diseases in children. The aim of the study was to evaluate the ultrasound picture of lesional and non-lesional skin in children with AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included a group of children with AD and a control group. Inclusion criteria were as follows: age 0-8 years and clinical diagnosis of AD. An ultrasound scanner with a 75 MHz transducer probe was used to produce B-mode skin images in lesions and non-lesional skin. The thickness and the echogenicity of epidermis, dermis, and subepidermal low-echogenic band (SLEB) were measured, and the ratio coefficient per body site was calculated. RESULTS: Ultrasonography of non-lesional skin in children with AD showed uneven epidermis contour, a tendency to increased epidermis and decreased dermis thickness, and the SLEB was observed in 77% of cases. In lesions, there was an increased thickness and a decreased echogenicity of epidermis and dermis, and epidermis had irregular contours in most cases. The SLEB was in all lesions, showing greater thickness and lower echogenicity compared with non-lesional skin. CONCLUSION: HF-USG of the skin allows visualizing the epidermal barrier disruption and inflammation in dermis in children with AD on the entire surface of the skin.