DIFFERENTIATION OF KELOID AND HYPERTROPHIC SCAR - CORRELATION OF THE WATER PROTON RELAXATION-TIMES WITH THE DURATION OF THE SCAR

Spin lattice relaxation times of water protons have been reported to c orrelate with the water contents of malignant as well as benign tissue s. In order to investigate whether such a correlation exists in keloid and hypertrophic scars, T1 values of keloid and hypertrophic scars we re measured using Magnetic Resonance Imaging and compared with that of normal skin. A linear correlation of the T1 values of the scars with their age was observed. Even though both the scars exhibited higher T1 values in the early stages of lesion, a faster return to the steady s tate level was observed in hypertrophic scars compared to keloids. It is suggested that the measurement of T1 values could serve to differen tiate the two abnormal wound healing situations.