Collagen is More Abundant and Structurally Altered in Lichen Sclerosus.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that genital skin and male urethra affected by lichen sclerosus (LS) has increased collagen content and altered collagen structure.

Methods: We used picrosirius red to stain and image collagen in human urethral, vulvar, and foreskin specimens with and without LS. Using Image J software, we quantified and compared (1) collagen content (using 2o metrics: collagen proportionate area [CPA] and collagen fiber count), (2) collagen fiber length and width, and (3) collagen structure using the texture analysis technique gray level co-localization matrix (GLCM) with respect to LS status and tissue type.