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Topic

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Dermis of skin (hand)

The dermis of the finger and hand is a dense, fibrous connective tissue layer situated beneath the epidermis and above the subcutaneous fat. It provides structural integrity, tensile strength, sensory support, and vascular supply to the skin.

In the fingers, the dermis is thicker and more specialized than in most body regions. It forms strong vertical fibrous septa that connect to the distal phalanx, stabilizing the skin of the fingertip (pulp). The dermis contains collagen, elastin, fibroblasts, blood vessels, lymphatics, sensory receptors, and nerve fibers, all essential for tactile precision and resistance to mechanical stress.

Synonyms

  • Cutaneous dermal layer

  • Deep skin layer

Function

  • Provides mechanical strength, elasticity, and durability to finger/hand skin

  • Houses sensory receptors necessary for fine touch, pressure, vibration, and pain

  • Contains vascular networks responsible for thermoregulation and wound healing

  • Stabilizes the fingertip skin for precision grip, object manipulation, and tactile discrimination

  • Protects deeper structures (tendons, nerves, vessels) from external injury

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images

  • Dermis appears as a thin, intermediate-to-low signal intensity band deep to the epidermis.

  • Subcutaneous fat deep to dermis shows bright signal, enhancing contrast.

  • Fibrous septa in fingertips appear low signal (dark).

  • Normal vascular structures may show tiny flow voids.

T2-weighted images

  • Dermis shows intermediate-to-low signal intensity, slightly brighter than cortical bone but darker than subcutaneous fat.

  • More conspicuous contrast between dermis (darker) and superficial epidermis/air interface.

  • Fibroconnective structures (septa) remain hypointense.

STIR

  • Dermis demonstrates intermediate-to-dark signal intensity.

  • Fat suppression increases contrast between dermis and the bright signal of subcutaneous edema (if present).

  • Normal dermis remains relatively low signal compared to inflamed adjacent tissues.

CT Appearance

Non-Contrast CT

  • Dermis appears as a thin, soft-tissue–attenuation layer

  • Difficult to distinguish from subcutaneous fat without high-resolution imaging

MRI image

Dermis of skin hand MRI axial image-img-00000-00000