Recent advances in clinical application of optical coherence tomography of human skin

Figures & data

Table 1 Selected papers ordered by the OCT system used

OCT System	Specifications	Author	Application	Patients (n)
VivoSight; Michelson Diagnostics, Kent, UK SS-OCT	Optical resolution (in tissue): <7.5 μm lateral, <5 μm axial, penetration depth up to 2 mm	Abignano et al^Citation4 Aydin et al^Citation6 Coleman et al^Citation7 Cunha et al^Citation8 Greaves et al^Citation14 Wang et al^Citation25	Skin fibrosis (patients with scleroderma vs healthy controls) Skin appendages, nail (psoriasis) NMSC (histological correlates) NMSC (comparison of ex vivo OCT with frozen-section histology for identifying BCC) Wound healing NMSC (define excision margins before MMS)	44 18 (180 nail samples) 87 75 50 52
SkinDex300; ISIS Optronics GmbH, Manheim, Germany	Average refractive index of the sample medium nmed = n = obj 1.43: depth resolution ≙ A-FWHM Int =7.4 μm; numerical aperture of the focusing lens is NA =0.19: diffraction-limited lateral resolution ≙ A-FWHMFoc =4.5 μm; 1,300 nm = center wavelength	Garcia Bartels et al^Citation13 Josse et al^Citation16 Lindner et al^Citation17 Tsugita et al^Citation24 Scola et al^Citation28	Skin appendages, hair (AA) ET, healthy skin Skin appendages, hair shaft alterations after chemotherapy and tamoxifen therapy ET, healthy skin NMSC (PDT vs CO2 laser in AK treatment)	9 (450 hair samples) 29 34 116 20
Skintell; Agfa Healthcare, Mortsel, Belgium	Vertical and lateral resolution of 3 μm at all depths of the skin sample, penetration depth of 570 μm	Gambichler et al^Citation9 Gambichler et al^Citation10 Gambichler et al^Citation11 Gambichler et al^Citation12	NMSC (characterization of BCC) Melanocytic skin lesions Differentiation between benign and malignant melanocytic skin lesions ET, cutaneous disorders (psoriasis and AK)	25 48 93 24
OCT developed at Risø National Laboratory, Denmark	Vertical resolution 8 μm, lateral resolution 24 μm, 1,318 nm center wavelength	Mogensen et al^Citation19 Mogensen et al^Citation20 Morsy et al^Citation21	NMSC (benign vs malignant lesions) NMSC (comparing in vivo thickness measurement of BCC and AK with OCT and 20 MHz HFUS ET, cutaneous disorders (psoriasis)	104 (176 lesions) 34 lesions 23
DermaRadar 830; Technische Universität, Dresden, Germany FD-OCT	Resolution data NA	Aschoff et al^Citation5	ET, cutaneous disorders (atopic dermatitis and treatment with HCT 1% cream vs PIM 1% cream)	20
OCS1300SS; Thorlabs^®, Dachau, Germany	1,325 nm center wavelength, 25 μm (lateral) × 12 μm (axial) resolution (air), penetration depth up to 3 mm	Hinz et al^Citation15	Melanocytic skin lesions (tumor thickness measured by OCT vs HFUS)	26
Thorlabs^®, Newton, NJ, USA	930 nm center wavelength, lateral resolution 8 μm	Meyer et al^Citation18	Melanocytic skin lesions (tumor thickness measured by OCT vs HFUS vs histology)	138
PS-OCT	Depth resolution in air:10.2 μm, further specifications NA	Sakai et al^Citation22	Extracellular matrix (dermal birefringence of mechanically deformed human skin)	22
Callisto; Thorlabs AG, Lübeck, Germany	Axial resolution of 7 μm, 930 nm center wavelength, lateral scan length of 4 mm, 1.7 mm penetration depth	Sattler et al^Citation23	Wound healing (after fractional CO2 laser treatment) 2	20
Santec Inner Vision 2,000; Santec Corporation, Photonics Valley Ohkusa Campus, Komaki, Aichi, Japan TD-OCT	50 kHz SS-OCT, axial resolution of ~10 μm, lateral resolution of ~20 μm, center wavelength 1,300±60 nm Center wavelength 1,310 nm, axial resolution of 10 μm	Wessels et al^Citation26 Zhao et al^Citation27	Benign and malignant melanocytic skin lesions Vascular malformations (PWS)	40 41

Abbreviations: OCT, optical coherence tomography; SS-OCT, swept-source OCT; NMSC, non-melanoma skin cancer; BCC, basal cell carcinoma; MMS, Mohs micrographic surgery; AA, alopecia areata; ET, epidermal thickness; PDT, photodynamic therapy; CO₂, carbon-dioxide; AK, actinic keratosis; HFUS, high-frequency ultrasound; FD-OCT, Fourier Domain OCT; HTC, hydrocortisone; PIM, pimecrolimus; PS-OCT, polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography; TD-OCT, time domain OCT; PWS, port wine stains; NA, not available; FWHM, full width at half maximum.

Figure 1 A positive patch test reaction (A) Skintell (B) VivoSight and (C) OCT images displaying intraepidermal signal-poor cavities that correspond to vesiculation.

Abbreviation: OCT, optical coherence tomography.

Figure 2 OCT images of a superficial BCC.

Notes: Tumor nodules (arrow heads) are detectable using the Skintell (slice mode [A]; en-face mode [B]) as well as VivoSight (C) scanners.
Abbreviations: OCT, optical coherence tomography; BCC, basal cell carcinoma.

AbignanoGAydinSZCastillo-GallegoCVirtual skin biopsy by optical coherence tomography: the first quantitative imaging biomarker for sclerodermaAnn Rheum Dis201372111845185123426041

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AydinSZCastillo-GallegoCAshZRPotential use of optical coherence tomography and high-frequency ultrasound for the assessment of nail disease in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritisDermatology20132271455123988587

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ColemanAJRichardsonTJOrchardGUddinAChoiMJLacyKEHistological correlates of optical coherence tomography in non-melanoma skin cancerSkin Res Technol2013191101922738357

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CunhaDRichardsonTShethNOrchardGColemanAMallipeddiRComparison of ex vivo optical coherence tomography with conventional frozen-section histology for visualizing basal cell carcinoma during Mohs micrographic surgeryBr J Dermatol2011165357658021797838

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GreavesNSBenatarBWhitesideSAlonso-RasgadoTBaguneidMBayatAOptical coherence tomography: a reliable alternative to invasive histological assessment of acute wound healing in human skin?Br J Dermatol2014170484085024329481

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WangKXMeekingsAFluhrJWOptical coherence tomography-based optimization of mohs micrographic surgery of Basal cell carcinoma: a pilot studyDermatol Surg201339462763323293854

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Garcia BartelsNJahnkeIPatzeltARichterHLademannJBlume-PeytaviUHair shaft abnormalities in alopecia areata evaluated by optical coherence tomographySkin Res Technol201117220120521241369

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JosseGGeorgeJBlackDAutomatic measurement of epidermal thickness from optical coherence tomography images using a new algorithmSkin Res Technol201117331431921371127

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LindnerJHillmannKBlume-PeytaviUHair shaft abnormalities after chemotherapy and tamoxifen therapy in patients with breast cancer evaluated by optical coherence tomographyBr J Dermatol201216761272127822834773

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TsugitaTNishijimaTKitaharaTTakemaYPositional differences and aging changes in Japanese woman epidermal thickness and corneous thickness determined by OCT (optical coherence tomography)Skin Res Technol201319324225023574500

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ScolaNTerrasSGeorgasDA randomized, half-side comparative study of aminolaevulinate photodynamic therapy vs CO(2) laser ablation in immunocompetent patients with multiple actinic keratosesBr J Dermatol201216761366137322708798

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GambichlerTPluraIKampilafkosPHistopathological correlates of basal cell carcinoma in the slice and en face imaging modes of high-definition optical coherence tomographyBr J Dermatol201417061358136124359160

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GambichlerTPluraISchmid-WendtnerMHigh-definition optical coherence tomography of melanocytic skin lesionsJ Biophotonics201499999999

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GambichlerTSchmid-WendtnerMHPluraIA multicentre pilot study investigating high-definition optical coherence tomography in the differentiation of cutaneous melanoma and melanocytic naeviJ Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol201429353754125073788

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GambichlerTValavanisKPluraIGeorgasDKampilafkosPStuckerMIn vivo determination of epidermal thickness using high-definition optical coherence tomographyBr J Dermatol2014170373773924124649

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MogensenMJoergensenTMNürnbergBMAssessment of optical coherence tomography imaging in the diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer and benign lesions versus normal skin: observer-blinded evaluation by dermatologists and pathologistsDermatol Surg200935696597219397661

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MogensenMNurnbergBMFormanJLThomsenJBThraneLJemecGBIn vivo thickness measurement of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis with optical coherence tomography and 20-MHz ultrasoundBr J Dermatol200916051026103319183171

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MorsyHKampSThraneLOptical coherence tomography imaging of psoriasis vulgaris: correlation with histology and disease severityArch Dermatol Res2010302210511119894055

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AschoffRSchmittJKnuschkePKochEBrautigamMMeurerMEvaluation of the atrophogenic potential of hydrocortisone 1% cream and pimecrolimus 1% cream in uninvolved forehead skin of patients with atopic dermatitis using optical coherence tomographyExp Dermatol2011201083283621771098

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HinzTEhlerLKVothHAssessment of tumor thickness in melanocytic skin lesions: comparison of optical coherence tomography, 20-MHz ultrasound and histopathologyDermatology2011223216116822024981

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MeyerNLauwers-CancesVLourariSHigh-frequency ultrasonography but not 930-nm optical coherence tomography reliably evaluates melanoma thickness in vivo: a prospective validation studyBr J Dermatol2014171479980524863700

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SakaiSYamanariMLimYNakagawaNYasunoYIn vivo evaluation of human skin anisotropy by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomographyBiomed Opt Express2011292623263121991553

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SattlerECPoloczekKKastleRWelzelJConfocal laser scanning microscopy and optical coherence tomography for the evaluation of the kinetics and quantification of wound healing after fractional laser therapyJ Am Acad Dermatol2013694e165e17323790496

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WesselsRde BruinDMRelyveldGNFunctional optical coherence tomography of pigmented lesionsJ Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol Epub2014829

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ZhaoSGuYXuePImaging port wine stains by fiber optical coherence tomographyJ Biomed Opt201015303602020615022

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