Comparison of optical coherence tomography and high frequency ultrasound imaging in mice for the assessment of skin morphology and intradermal volumes

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), two established imaging modalities in the field of dermatology, were evaluated and compared regarding their applicability for visualization of skin tissue morphology and quantification of murine intradermal structures. The accuracy and reproducibility of both methods were assessed ex vivo and in vivo using a standardized model for intradermal volumes based on injected soft tissue fillers. OCT revealed greater detail in skin morphology, allowing for detection of single layers due to the superior resolution. Volumetric data measured by OCT (7.9 ± 0.3 μl) and HFUS (7.7 ± 0.5 μl) were in good agreement and revealed a high accuracy when compared to the injected volume of 7.98 ± 0.8 µl. In vivo, OCT provided a higher precision (relative SD: 26% OCT vs. 42% HFUS) for the quantification of intradermal structures, whereas HFUS offered increased penetration depth enabling the visualization of deeper structures. A combination of both imaging technologies might be valuable for tumor assessments or other dermal pathologies in clinical settings.