Potential of optical coherence tomography for early diagnosis of oral malignancies

Abstract

With nearly 1,500,000 new patients diagnosed every year in the USA, cancer poses a considerable challenge to healthcare today. Oral cancer is responsible for a sizeable portion of deaths due to cancer, primarily because it is diagnosed at a late stage when the prognosis is poor. Current methods for diagnosing oral cancer need to be augmented by better early detection, monitoring and screening modalities. A new approach is needed that provides real-time, accurate, noninvasive diagnosis. The results of early clinical trials using in vivo optical coherence tomography for the diagnosis of oral dysplasia and malignancy are encouraging.

Figure 1. Dysplastic and normal buccal mucosa

(A) Photograph, (B) in vivo optical coherence tomography image and (C) hematoxylin and eosin (10×) of dysplastic buccal mucosa. (D) In vivo optical coherence tomography image of normal buccal mucosa. 1: Stratified squamous epithelium; 2: Keratinized epithelial surface layer; 3: Basement membrane; 4: Submucosa. Reprinted with permission from Wiley-Liss, Inc., a subsidiary of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [8].

Figure 2. Squamous cell carcinoma of the buccal mucosa

(A) Photograph, (B) in vivo optical coherence tomography image and (C) hematoxylin and eosin (10×) of buccal mucosa with squamous cell carcinoma. (D) In vivo optical coherence tomography image of normal buccal mucosa. 1: Stratified squamous epithelium; 2: Keratinized epithelial surface layer; 3: Basement membrane; 4: Submucosa. Reprinted with permission of Wiley-Liss, Inc. a subsidiary of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [8].