By Katherine Kozlowski, medical author and contributor to Vein News and VeinsVeinsVeins.com
Lipedema is a disease characterized by abnormal deposits of fat tissue in the bilateral upper and lower limbs.
Researchers from Brazil aimed to compare thicknesses of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue between patients with and without lipedema, using ultrasound guidance.
SUBJECTS:
89 female patients were analyzed using ultrasound measurements and divided into two groups:
- Patients with clinically-diagnosed lipedema
- Patients without lipedema
RESULTS:
63 patients were diagnosed with lipedema.
Significant differences in tissue thickness were found on the anterior thigh (front of thigh), pre-tibial aspect of leg (shin), lateral leg, and above the medial malleolus (above the inner ankle bone).
Cutoff values were calculated to diagnose lipedema using thickness of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue.
CONCLUSIONS:
Ultrasound allows for simple, reproducible measurements of tissue thickness and diagnosis of lipedema.
The recommended areas to measure and determine lipedema diagnosis are pre-tibial region, thigh, and lateral leg.
Reference:
Amato ACM, Saucedo DZ, Santos KS et al. Ultrasound criteria for lipedema diagnosis. Phlebology 2021; 36(8): 651-658.