BACKGROUND: Acne, rosacea and hidrosadenitis are common inflammatory skin diseases in which folliculosebaceous unit is main target.
OBJECTIVE: Stablishish clinical-sonographical correlations in these diseases and to stablish differential aspects in each
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clincal and ultrasound images of 50 patients clinically diagnosed of acne(n=17), rosacea( n=20) and hidradenitis (n=13) were independently assessed by twosonographers. Clinical diagnosis of each elementary skin lesion was compares and similarities in ultrasonographic patterns were clustered depending on echogenicity, ultrasonographical location of lesions and doppler flow presence.
My Lab one (Esaote . Geneva ) with a 16-22 lineal probe andwas used as GE S8 ( General Electric) with a 8-18 MHz hockey stick lineal probed were used in this investigation.
RESULTS: In acne comedo, papules and pustules were asociated with discrete hypoechogenicity of dermis and focal increased flow.
Cystic areas were located deepera and also associated with focal flow increase.
In rosacea, difuse dermal hypoechogenicity was evident with difuse increased flow compared to acne,
CONCLUSIONS: While ance and hydradenitis can be considered as focal located ultrasonographically diseases, in rosacea altered difuse flow
and dermal inflammation is key in imaging.
Ultrasound can be of help in the clinical assessment and decision making in these diseases
