![hero-skin_thickness](/more-than-scleroderma/sites/default/files/2022-06/hero-skin_thickness_0_0.jpg)
Skin thickness test
This test measures where you have skin symptoms and how bad they are. Find out more about this test, which is often called the modified Rodnan skin thickness score or mRSS.1
2 min read
Looking at:
The thickness of the skin in different parts of your body.
The fibrosis (scarring) caused by scleroderma makes your skin thicker than normal. This test tells your physician how much fibrosis the scleroderma has caused in your skin and how much of your body is affected.
What to expect:
The doctor will feel the thickness of your skin in several areas of your body. Each area is then given a number that shows how thick it is.
Understanding your results:
The higher the number, the thicker the skin is compared with average skin thickness (0=normal; 1=mild thickness; 2=moderate thickness; 3=severe thickness).1
The total score gives a measure of the extent and severity of your skin symptoms.
![2-3-5-modified_rodnan_skin_thickness_score_diagram](/more-than-scleroderma/sites/default/files/2022-06/2-3-5-modified_rodnan_skin_thickness_score_diagram-01_0.jpg)
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Symptoms of scleroderma
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Treatment
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Monitoring scleroderma
- Clements PJ et al. Skin thickness score in systemic sclerosis: an assessment of interobserver variability in 3 independent studies. J Rheum 1993;20(11):1892-96.
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"Try and get as much information as you can from your doctor. He or she is the expert. Take notes and don't be afraid to ask."
– Mike