Versatility of scanning laser Doppler imaging to detect cutaneous perforators

Several perforator-based flaps have been developed recently and, although preoperative evaluation of perforator vessels is important, the conventional method using the Doppler flowmeter is still being used. The authors tried to identify perforator vessels in the abdominal region using scanning laser Doppler imaging and then compared the results with those obtained using an ultrasonic Doppler flowmeter in 10 healthy volunteers. The scanning laser Doppler detected several perforator vessels (range, 2-5 vessels; mean, 3.1 vessels) within a 7.5 x 7.5-cm area in the abdominal region. These results suggest that scanning laser Doppler imaging is a useful tool in the identification of perforator vessels.