Figure 1. Effect of imatinib on digital ulcers, interstitial lung disease, and collagen architecture in a patient with SSc.

(A) Digital ulcer located over the left fourth proximal interphalangeal joint prior to imatinib therapy. (B) Healing of digital ulcer after 3 months of imatinib therpy. (C) HRCT of the chest prior to imatinib therapy demonstrates patchy infiltrates associated with ground glass opacities in the bilateral lower lobes. (D) HRCT after 3 months of imatinib therapy shows resolution of ground glass opacities. (E) Hematoxylin and eosin stained skin biopsy from the right arm taken prior to imatinib therapy shows dense, eosinophilic, tightly packed collagen bundles of the papillary and reticular dermis with an average dermal thickness of 2.81 mm (Magnification 100×). (F) Skin biopsy after 3 months of imatinib taken within 1 cm of initial biopsy shows normalization of collagen architecture, with loose spacing and thinning of collagen bundles and an average dermal thickness of 2.31 mm.