Ultrasound skin characterization: an in vivo study of intra and inter individual variations

Acoustic properties of healthy skin were assessed in vivo on three body sites: forehead, abdomen and forearm. The acoustic properties are described on the basis of estimation of three acoustic parameters: the integrated attenuation coefficient (IAC), the integrated backscattered coefficient (IBCo) and the effective density of scatterers (α₂). The measurement protocol included: characteristics of the measurement areas, size and number of regions of interest. Measurements were performed on 20 volunteers. Reproducibility of the measurement in skin was assessed in relation to the body site and was also compared to that one in a tissue-mimicking phantom. It was shown that IAC and IBCo parameters have good capabilities to differentiate the skin of the body sites