Possibilities of 3D-NLS study methods in examination of certain skin diseases(1)
 
Gizbrecht E., Balcevich A.
Assuta Medical Centers LTD, Tel-Aviv
 
Wide  spread  of  skin  diseases  dictates  a  necessity  in  early  and maximum  accurate  diagnostics,
because  severe  forms  of  skin  diseases  decrease  greatly  quality  of  life  of  a  patient  and  his  family,
promote development of a psychosomatic disorders. Visual  evaluation of  symptoms  and  severity of a
disease often has subjective nature. 
From  histological  point  of  view  skin  consists  of  two  layers:  epidermis  and  derma  which  are
closely connected. On histological cross-cuts of skin a line between epidermis and derma looks uneven
due  to  presence  of many  dermal  papillae  divided  by  outgrowths  of  epidermis. Epidermis  consists  of
several layers: basal, spinous, granular and horny. In epidermis of palms and feet, between granular and
horny layers there is additional layer - stratum lucidum. Sometimes the aggregate of basal, spinous and
granular layers is called a malpighian layer.
Derma  is a connective basis of skin, where perspiratory and sebaceous glands, blood and  lymph
vessels,  nerves  and  smooth  muscles  are  located.  There  are  papillary  and  reticular  layers  of  derma.
Papillary  layer,  located under epidermis, and a part of  reticular  layer conditionally  form upper derma;
layer of derma  located at  the  level of pilosebaceous unit  is  indicated as middle derma;  the underlying
layer containing perspiratory glands, bordering subcutaneous fat, is called a deep derma.
Blood vessels of skin form two anatomic plexuses: a deep one,  located next  to subcutaneous fat,
and  a  superficial  one,  located  in  sub-papillary  layer.  They  consist  of  microcirculatory  bloodstream
vessels: arterioles, venules and capillary tubes. 
Total thickness of skin without subcutaneous fat varies from bits of a millimeter to 4 mm.
Exiting systems for 3D NLS diagnostics  (“Metatron”-4019) are equipped with high-frequency  linear
generators (1.4 GHz) allowing to visualize the most superficial structures, in particular skin. However to
evaluate condition of ultrafine structures of skin such frequency  is not enough sometimes. That  is why
dermatologists started to use special devices with sensors of 40 GHz operating frequency, which allow
to see the finest structures of skin layers down to the level of large carbohydrate molecules and peptides.
But  at  the  same  time  due  to  significant  cost  of  such  equipment  if  becomes  unaffordable  for  wide
application in the majority of clinics. Taking into account a need in evaluation of regional lymph nodes
and  tumors of soft  tissues, apparently  the optimal decision  is  to use devices  for non-linear diagnostics
equipped with non-linear sensors of 4.9 GHz operating frequency (“Metatron”-4025, the IPP, Russia).
“Metatron”-4025 system has axial resolution of 30 µm. Application of this device allows to study
epidermis on cellular and sub-cellular levels. 
Nowadays  objectives  and  limits  of  three-dimensional  NLS-ultramicroscanning  research  in
dermatology have become very broad. 
The following has become real:
-  evaluation  of  treatment  efficiency  of  diseases  characterized  by  skin  sclerosis  (localized
scleroderma,  generalized  scleroderma),  edematous  (lipo-dermatosclerosis)  and  chronic  inflammatory
(psoriasis) dermatosis;