Optical coherence tomography-measured blood vessel characteristics of port-wine birthmarks by depth: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

Port-Wine Birthmarks (PWB) are congenital capillary malformations requiring multiple treatments. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a noninvasive imaging technique, characterizes vessels in cutaneous vascular lesions, including PWBs.

OBJECTIVE

To assess variability in blood vessel characteristics within and between individual PWBs.

METHODS

OCT was used to measure blood vessel density (%) and modal vessel diameter (micrometers) at increments of 0.05 mm from the skin surface to a depth of 0.50 mm at several adjacent spots of single PWBs in this cross-sectional study. Average ratios of vessel density and diameter in affected to control skin were obtained for each PWB by averaging data for all spots within a lesion. Statistical analysis was performed with a linear mixed effects model using SPSS software (IBM Corporation).

RESULTS

There was great variability in vessel density and diameter within and between PWBs. Depths where average ratios of vessel density were consistently greater in affected to control skin were shallow, between 0.15 mm and 0.2 mm deep from the skin surface.

LIMITATIONS: Small sample size and device's inability to measure diameters smaller than 20 micrometers.

CONCLUSION

There is variability in vessel density and diameter within and between PWBs. Individualized treatment planning guided by OCT mapping should be studied further.