Noninvasive diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer: focus on reflectance confocal microscopy

Figures & data

Figure 1. Simplified optical principle of reflectance confocal microscopy illustrating the way of the light from the point light source to the skin and onto the detector.

Information from [27].

Figure 2. Reflectance confocal microscopy images of basal cell carcinoma.

(A) Nests of tumor cells in the dermis, elongated shape of cells and nuclei (arrow), dark spaces in between tumor nodules and surrounding collagen correspond to clefts on histopathology. (B) Large, dilated blood vessels adjacent to dermal tumor nest (arrow) with highly reflective white cells in the center of the vessel correspond to erythrocytes. (C) Polarization of cells (arrow). (D) Representative hematoxylin and eosin histology of basal cell carcinoma with nests of basaloid tumor cells, clefting and blood vessel dilatation (arrow).

Figure 3. Representative reflectance confocal microscopy images of a hypertrophic scar after basal cell carcinoma excision.

The formation of the collagen along the same axis resembles the arrangement of tumour cells in basal cell carcinoma (streaming).

Figure 4. Reflectance confocal microscopy images of actinic keratosis.

(A & B) Loss of normal epidermal honeycomb pattern, architectural diarray, cellular atypia and pleomorphism. (C) Marked solar elastosis in the upper dermis. (D) Representative hematoxylin and eosin histology of actinic keratoses with proliferation of atypical keratinocytes (‘crowding’).

Table 1. Activity Evaluation

Where 1 is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree
	1	2	3	4	5
1. The activity supported the learning objectives.
2. The material was organized clearly for learning to occur.
3. The content learned from this activity will impact my practice.
4. The activity was presented objectively and free of commercial bias.

Rajadhyaksha M, González S, Zavislan JM, et al.In vivo confocal scanning laser microscopy of human skin II, advances in instrumentation and comparison with histology. J. Invest. Dermatol.13, 293–303 (1999).

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