A Novel, Reliable Protocol to Objectively Assess Scar Stiffness Using Shear Wave Elastography
Helen DeJong, Steven Abbott, Marilyn Zelesco, Katrina Spilsbury, Lisa Martin, Rowan Sanderson, Melanie Ziman, Brendan F Kennedy, Fiona M Wood, Helen DeJong, Steven Abbott, Marilyn Zelesco, Katrina Spilsbury, Lisa Martin, Rowan Sanderson, Melanie Ziman, Brendan F Kennedy, Fiona M Wood
Abstract
The aim of this research was to investigate the use of shear wave elastography as a novel tool to quantify and visualize scar stiffness after a burn. Increased scar stiffness is indicative of pathologic scarring which is associated with persistent pain, chronic itch and restricted range of movement. Fifty-five participants with a total of 96 scars and 69 contralateral normal skin sites were evaluated. A unique protocol was developed to enable imaging of the raised and uneven burn scars. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability was excellent (intra-class correlation coefficient >0.97), and test-retest reliability was good (intra-class correlation coefficient >0.85). Shear wave elastography was able to differentiate between normal skin, pathologic scars and non-pathologic scars, with preliminary cutoff values identified. Significant correlations were found between shear wave velocity and subjective clinical scar assessment (r = 0.66). Shear wave elastography was able to provide unique information associated with pathologic scarring and shows promise as a clinical assessment and research tool.
Keywords: 2-D shear wave elastography; Burn; Elastography; Objective scar assessment; Reliability; Scar pliability; Shear wave elastography.
Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Source: PubMed