Differentiation of Different Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Types Using OCT

Abstract

Background: Early detection of various types of nonmelanoma skin cancer has been a challenge in dermatology. Noninvasive examination procedures such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) play an increasingly important role, besides the established gold standard of histological tissue sample analysis. OCT is a noninvasive, cross-sectional, real-time technique that allows conclusions to be drawn with regard to the presence of pathologies. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether it is possible to distinguish between different types of nonmelanoma skin cancer using OCT or not. Methods: A study population of a total of 25 cases, comprising 5 cases, each, of 5 tumor entities (i.e., basal cell carcinoma, superficial basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma, and Bowen disease) was examined. Relevant lesions were scanned both centrally and peripherally in the multislice mode. All OCT images were blinded, randomized, analyzed, and evaluated by 2 clinicians experienced in OCT. Results: This study demonstrated that it is possible to determine correlations between various types of tumors and recurring tumor characteristics. Conclusion: This study showed that it is possible to distinguish between the different nonmelanoma skin cancers by using OCT, but further prospective studies have to be conducted to validate the sensitivity and specificity of the criteria.

A Case Series of Bowen’s Disease Treated with the Combination of Cryosurgery and Ingenol Mebutate and Followed Up with Optical Coherence Tomography

“…In accordance with findings by other authors [12], however with different OCT devices, OCT imaging of the BD lesions at baseline revealed a thickened epidermis without a prominent granular layer in all cases (Figure 2(c)). Early after treatment, a normally layered hyporeflective epidermis was present overlying a hyperreflective dermis.…”

“…Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a promising imaging modality for the noninvasive evaluation of cutaneous keratinocytic neoplasms, including BD [12]. Preliminary findings in the literature claim the identification of architectural disorganization of the epidermis with a prominent wide spindle layer as the principal OCT diagnostic sign of this latter condition [12].…”

Noninvasive Determination of Epidermal and Stratum Corneum Thickness in vivo Using Two-Photon Microscopy and Optical Coherence Tomography: Impact of Body Area, Age, and Gender

“…LSM and CRS produce horizontal images in multiple stacks, whereas OCT generates vertical images of a cross section of both the epidermis and dermis. Thus, the latter method may establish a direct comparison to the histological findings in order to evaluate the ET and morphological structures [6, 12, 14, 17, 18]. …”

Optical coherence tomography for fast bedside imaging, assessment and monitoring of autoimmune inflammatory skin diseases?

“…Focus Dermatological Research as actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, even at an early stage of disease [3]. However, far less OCT research has been conducted in the field of inflammatory skin diseases.…”