Fig 1.
High-frequency ultrasonography image of the skin over the forearm with automated epidermal thickness estimation.
(A) Skin ultrasonography image. (B) The red lines and the grid in between indicate the area over which dermal thickness is calculated using the DermaLab® software. (C) The red color corresponds to the automated epidermal boundary detection by our dedicated software. (D) The white and black limits of the epidermis correspond to the automated mean thickness estimation by our dedicated software.
Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the studied gestation and newborns, considering birth weight patterns.
Fig 2.
Magnitudes of the skin layer thicknesses of 222 newborns on the first day of life.
(A) Distribution corresponds to the epidermal skin over the forearm. Values: n = 217; mean (SD), 172.4 (19.6) μm and 95% CI of the mean, 169.8–175.1. (B) Distribution corresponds to the dermal skin over the forearm. Values: n = 217; mean (SD), 974.0 (290.0) μm; 95% CI of the mean, 994.9–1061.8; and median (IQR), 974.0 (290.0) μm. (C) Distribution corresponds to the epidermal skin over the plantar surface. Values: n = 219; mean (SD), 174.6 (17.5) μm; 95% CI of the mean, 172.2–176.9. (D) Distribution corresponds to the dermal skin over the plantar surface. Values: n = 219; mean (SD), 1244.5 (869.0) μm; 95% CI of the mean, 1125.2–1263.9); and median (IQR), 1244.5 (869.0) μm.
Table 2.
Environmental conditions and neonatal oximetry during the newborn assessment.
Fig 3.
Gestational age estimated using the epidermal skin thickness of the forearm in comparison with GA at birth by early obstetric ultrasonography.
Equation: Gestational age (weeks) = −28.0 + 12.8 Ln (Thickness) − 4.4 Incubator stay + 0.015 standard fetal growth; R = 0.777, R2 = 0.604, P < 0.001.
Fig 4.
Histogram of residual value for the skin thickness vs. gestational age.
Table 3.
Variation of skin thickness at birth according to birthweight patterns and examination site in newborns.
Fig 5.
Neonatal skin with dermal layer measurements in stillbirths from biopsies over the plantar surface of the foot.
Scale: 200 μm. Skin at (A) 21 weeks of gestation, 406.5 μm; (B) 34 weeks of gestation, 284.6 μm; and (C) 40 weeks of gestation.