Differences in the two-dimensionally measured laser Doppler flow at different skin localisations

The cutaneous microcirculation shows a significant heterogeneity. With high-resolution two-dimensional laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI), spatial and temporal reproducible perfusion measurements can be reached. The objective of this study was the quantification of skin perfusion in 20 defined skin areas with LDPI, in 60 healthy young and old volunteers. The perfusion of the face was significantly higher than that of the trunk and extremities. The highest perfusion values were seen at the lips, 1.47 arbitrary units (AU), followed by the chin (0.99 AU), the nose (0.95 AU), the forehead (0.73 AU) and the cheek (0.72 AU). Mean perfusion, between 0.40 and 0.49 AU, was seen at the extremities and at the trunk. The lowest perfusion was found at the bottom (0.37 AU), on the back of the foot (0.36 AU) and on the soles (0.31 AU). There was a tendency to show higher perfusion values in men than in women (0.60 +/- 0.31 vs. 0.53 +/- 0.26 AU). Age-related differences in perfusion could not be demonstrated. In the evaluation of the perfusion of pathological skin, regional perfusion differences must be considered, whereas moderate age or gender differences between different investigation groups can be tolerated.