title: Increased blood flow in keloids and adjacent skin revealed by laser speckle contrast imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Keloids are fibroproliferative lesions of unknown origin that are characterized by increased collagen deposition. Vascularization may play a role in the pathogenesis of keloids, but existing reports are contradictory. Thus, we assessed perfusion within keloids and surrounding skin using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with 61 untreated keloids were enrolled into this study. LSCI was used to evaluate blood flow in the keloids and surrounding skin. Three regions of interest were manually defined: keloids (K), skin adjacent to keloids (A), and nonadjacent skin separated by at least 0.3 cm from the edge of the keloids (N). Mean perfusion in each of these regions was determined and ratios (K/N, A/N) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly higher perfusion was noted in keloids and adjacent skin compared with nonadjacent skin (P < 0.05). The mean values (95% confidence intervals) of the ratios were: K/N = 2.41 (2.28-2.54) and A/N = 1.33 (1.28-1.37). A heterogeneous perfusion map was frequently observed. Mean perfusion in keloids and nonadjacent skin in the chest region was significantly higher than that on the back (P < 0.05). There was no statistical signficant difference in K/N at different locations (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perfusion values in keloids and adjacent skin were significantly higher than those in nonadjacent skin. LSCI may be a suitable and useful way of assessing perfusion in keloids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qingliang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yihong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Nanze
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Youbin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: hypoxia; increased perfusion; surrounding skin