Revolutionizing ex vivo Skin Imaging: 3D Characterization of Skin Tumors with ex vivo Line-Field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography - A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION

Numerous imaging techniques, such as reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and line-field confocal OCT (LC-OCT), are available for skin evaluation. However, there remains a need for improved imaging methods to better understand tumor histology and enhance surgical margin detection. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of ex vivo LC-OCT images in cutaneous tumors, describe their morphological features, and correlate the findings with dermoscopy, in vivo RCM, and histology.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted from June 2022 to July 2023, including patients aged ≥18 years with cutaneous tumors on the trunk or limbs. Clinical, dermoscopic, RCM, ex vivo LC-OCT, and histopathological images were collected from 10 tumors, including melanomas, seborrheic keratoses, basal cell carcinomas, and melanocytic nevi.

RESULTS

Ex vivo LC-OCT produced high-quality images equivalent to those from in vivo devices, enabling three-dimensional visualization of excised tumors. The images displayed cellular resolution with strong correlations to confocal microscopy and histology.

CONCLUSION

Ex vivo LC-OCT shows promise for improving the evaluation of cutaneous tumors and may enhance dermato-oncological surgery, particularly in margin control.