Assessing scleroderma patterns with superb microvascular imaging: is it possible? New prospects for ultrasound

Abstract

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy is the gold standard for the early differentiation of primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon. Advances in high-frequency ultrasound with superb microvascular imaging show significant potential for exploring structural changes that were previously inaccessible. Ultrasound makes it possible to assess not only the superficial layers of the skin but also structural microvascular abnormalities in the deep layers of the nail fold. There is potential for identifying a 'scleroderma pattern', which presents with the loss of continuous vascular arches above and below the nail plate in transverse and longitudinal scans of the nail folds. The 'active' pattern presents with the loss of the junctions between vascular signals, which is not seen in the 'early' pattern. Severely reduced vascularity with avascular areas in both of the nail fold zones is seen in a 'late' pattern. The quality of the evaluation is highly dependent on how experienced the sonographer is. This is the first detailed description of every pattern assessed through superb microvascular imaging, including high-quality images for a better understanding of the technique.

Keywords: Nail fold, Scleroderma pattern; Superb microvascular imaging; Ultrasound; Videocapillaroscopy.