A stepped apex beside straighter loops

A capillary right of center has several angular bends, with smaller twists in neighboring hairpin loops.

A capillary right of center has several angular bends, with smaller twists in neighboring hairpin loops.
A capillary right of center has several angular bends, with smaller twists in neighboring hairpin loops.

Image details

Pattern
Tortuous capillaries
Author or contributor
Borja Gracia Tello
Hallmarks
Tortuous capillariesUnequal capillary calibers
Magnification
250×
Device
Smart G-Scope
Field of view (W × H)
≈ 2.26 × 1.27 mm
Open full-size image

Teaching point

One isolated abnormal shape may be nonspecific.

Measurements and calibration

For the subset of apices with stable automated measurements, estimated widths span approximately 12–26 µm. These are automated estimates, not manually validated measurements.

Clinical caveat

This image illustrates a visual finding and should be interpreted with acquisition quality, distribution across fingers, clinical context, and serology when relevant.

Use and licensing

Third-party image. Refer to the credits and any image-specific terms of use.

CC BY 4.0

Creator
Borja Gracia Tello

Image source page

Suggested attribution

A stepped apex beside straighter loops — Borja Gracia Tello, via Capillaroscopy.com.
CC BY 4.0.
Source: https://capillaroscopy.com/en/library/gracia-tello-tortuous-032/
Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

If you modify the image, describe your changes and retain any existing modification notices. This licence does not imply endorsement or clear other rights.

Open the public image file

Image licensing and reuse

Related images

Back to atlas
A field from the normal reference study, showing the distal row of narrow loops. Use the full study to compare density and shape across fingers.Normal reference: distal capillary rowDark hemorrhagic deposits alongside capillary loops in the nonspecific reference study. Hemorrhage alone does not define a scleroderma pattern.Nonspecific pattern: hemorrhagic fieldHairpin capillaries with rounded apices of different widths. The deeper vascular network is visible.A capillary row above the deeper vascular networkSlender capillaries with rounded apices and mildly tortuous limbs, especially right of center.Straight apices above winding limbs