{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]],"date-time":"2026-04-16T05:55:50Z","timestamp":1776318950021,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]],"date-time":"2026-04-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776297600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To develop a non-invasive model predicting narrow-band UVB (NB-UVB) phototherapy efficacy in vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) using high-frequency ultrasound (HF-US, 24 MHz) and superb microvascular imaging (SMI) parameters.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Forty-seven biopsy-confirmed VLS patients undergoing standardized NB-UVB (24 weeks) were enrolled (2021\u20132024). Baseline vascular density (VD), vessel index (VI, SMI), and dermal thickness (HF-US) were measured. SMI parameters were assessed in the most vascularized lesion area (comprehensive lesion coverage was performed). Clinical response (6 months post-treatment) followed a modified ISSVD composite endpoint. Univariate\/multivariate logistic regression and ROC analyses (AUC, sensitivity, specificity) were used, adjusted for age and disease duration.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Responders (27\/47, 57.4%) had significantly higher baseline VD (10.34 \u00b1 2.01 vs. 8.37 \u00b1 3.93,\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.030) and VI (7.33 \u00b1 1.55 vs. 5.48 \u00b1 2.53,\n                      <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                      = 0.003). Baseline VD (OR = 1.85) and VI (OR = 2.02) were independent predictors. The combined model showed superior performance (AUC = 0.849, 88.9% sensitivity, 80.0% specificity).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>HF-US\/SMI-derived baseline VD and VI enable accurate prediction of NB-UVB response in VLS, supporting individualized pre-treatment decisions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2026.1756219","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]],"date-time":"2026-04-16T05:25:46Z","timestamp":1776317146000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Predicting phototherapy efficacy in vulvar lichen sclerosus using high-frequency ultrasound combined with superb microvascular imaging"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Yifei","family":"Liu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ultrasound, Henan Provincial People\u2019s Hospital, Zhengzhou","place":["Henan, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yu","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ultrasound, Henan Provincial People\u2019s Hospital, Zhengzhou","place":["Henan, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yujuan","family":"Guo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ultrasound, Henan Provincial People\u2019s Hospital, Zhengzhou","place":["Henan, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chuang","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ultrasound, Henan Provincial People\u2019s Hospital, Zhengzhou","place":["Henan, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kaikai","family":"Shen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Ultrasound, Henan Provincial People\u2019s Hospital, Zhengzhou","place":["Henan, China"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2146","DOI":"10.3390\/life13112146","article-title":"Laser therapy for vulvar lichen sclerosus: a systematic review.","volume":"13","author":"Gil-Villalba","year":"2023","journal-title":"Life (Basel)."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"560","DOI":"10.1080\/09546634.2020.1771260","article-title":"Proposition of a standardized protocol for photodynamic therapy for vulvar lichen sclerosus.","volume":"33","author":"Declercq","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Dermatolog Treat."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"224","DOI":"10.1186\/s12885-024-11981-9","article-title":"Using a combination of superb microvascular imaging and other auxiliary ultrasound techniques to increase the accuracy of gray-scale ultrasound for breast masses.","volume":"24","author":"Abedi","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Cancer."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1007\/s10067-022-06405-7","article-title":"Assessing scleroderma patterns with superb microvascular imaging: is it possible? 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