High-frequency ultrasonography of the scalp - Comparison of ultrasound and trichoscopic images in healthy individuals.

Abstract

Hair loss is a common problem in dermatological patients. Its diagnosis is based on selected non-invasive and invasive tests. Searching for new diagnostic methods, especially non-invasive ones, aims to accelerate the correct diagnosis in the least invasive way possible. The aim of our study was to establish the characteristics of ultrasound images in healthy individuals and to compare them to selected trichoscopic parameters. Eighteen healthy adults (10 women and 8 men) underwent trichoscopy and high-frequency ultrasound (HF-USG) with 20MHz DermaScan transducer on the parietal region of the scalp. Selected parameters were compared in relation to sex and the research method used. HF-USG of the parietal area in all examined patients revealed hyperechogenic entrance echo and less echogenic layer corresponding to the dermis with well-defined hypoechoic follicular structures (FS). The number of hair units in trichoscopy and the number of FS in HF-USG did not differ significantly, while the differences in the studied distances between structures were statistically significant. The width of FS in HF-USG was significantly higher than hair shafts thickness in trichoscopy. HF-USG (20MHz) due to the possibility of visualization of FS can be a valuable complement to the range of non-invasive diagnostic procedures used in evaluation of the scalp.