Limited scleroderma: sonographic pattern in the stage of erythema/edema

Abstract

Objective.To describe the sonopattern of limited scleroderma (LS) in the early stages after the onset of erythema.Materials and methods.The work describes a clinical case of limited plaque scleroderma. The sonographic examination was carried out on an ultrasound scanner using a transducer with operating frequencies of 10–16–18 MHz. Material sampling for the histologic examination of the skin was performed from the area with the most pronounced inflammatory changes under sonographic control.Results.It has been found that increased echogenicity of the dermis, “blurring” of the dermis/hypodermis boundary, increased echogenicity and the “stalactite-like” pattern of subcutaneous fat occur in the frst week of the disease; normalization or a signifcant improvement of the sonopattern is noted by the end of the second week or by the beginning of the third week after the onset of erythema.Conclusion.There is a certain parallelism between the histologic and sonographic patterns, which makes it possible to adequately assess both the activity and the stage of the LS process.