TY - JOUR
T1 - Confocal scanning laser microscopy of benign and malignant melanocytic skin lesions in vivo
AU - Langley, Richard G.B.
AU - Rajadhyaksha, Milind
AU - Dwyer, Peter J.
AU - Sober, Arthur J.
AU - Flotte, Thomas J.
AU - Anderson, R. Rox
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by the Lalia B. Chase Fellowship of the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation. Development of the confocal microscope prototype was funded in parts by Department of Energy grant DE-FG02-91ER61229 and by a grant from the Whitaker Foundation (to M. R.).
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Background: The ability of physicians for early diagnosis of cutaneous melanomas is less than perfect, prompting research into noninvasive methods for diagnosis. Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) for noninvasive imaging of benign and malignant melanocytic lesions in vivo. Methods: Forty pigmented skin lesions (including adjacent normal skin as control) in vivo were imaged with near-infrared CSLM. The confocal images were correlated to histopathology. Results: Nuclear, cellular, and architectural detail in the epidermis and superficial dermis is imaged with high resolution and contrast. Melanin causes the cytoplasm of pigmented cells to appear bright. Melanocytic nevi had cohesive nests of uniformly circular cells and increased microvascular blood flow. Melanomas had a polymorphous cytologic structure, containing atypical, pleomorphic cells in disarray and irregular dendritic cells. Conclusion: CSLM is capable of identifying distinct patterns and cytologic features of benign and malignant pigmented skin lesions in vivo. CSLM may be useful to noninvasively discriminate benign and malignant lesions in vivo.
AB - Background: The ability of physicians for early diagnosis of cutaneous melanomas is less than perfect, prompting research into noninvasive methods for diagnosis. Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) for noninvasive imaging of benign and malignant melanocytic lesions in vivo. Methods: Forty pigmented skin lesions (including adjacent normal skin as control) in vivo were imaged with near-infrared CSLM. The confocal images were correlated to histopathology. Results: Nuclear, cellular, and architectural detail in the epidermis and superficial dermis is imaged with high resolution and contrast. Melanin causes the cytoplasm of pigmented cells to appear bright. Melanocytic nevi had cohesive nests of uniformly circular cells and increased microvascular blood flow. Melanomas had a polymorphous cytologic structure, containing atypical, pleomorphic cells in disarray and irregular dendritic cells. Conclusion: CSLM is capable of identifying distinct patterns and cytologic features of benign and malignant pigmented skin lesions in vivo. CSLM may be useful to noninvasively discriminate benign and malignant lesions in vivo.
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U2 - 10.1067/mjd.2001.117395
DO - 10.1067/mjd.2001.117395
M3 - Article
C2 - 11511832
AN - SCOPUS:0034872674
SN - 0190-9622
VL - 45
SP - 365
EP - 376
JO - Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
JF - Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
IS - 3
ER -