Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015 Jul 7:8:345-54.
doi: 10.2147/CCID.S69119. eCollection 2015.

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

Thilo Gambichler  1 , Azem Pljakic  1 , Lutz Schmitz  1
Affiliations
Review

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

Thilo Gambichler et al. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. .

Abstract

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an emerging noninvasive imaging method that uses infrared light and interferometric techniques. The method has become increasingly popular in skin research as well as daily dermatology practice. In the present brief review, we focused on recent (2009-2014) OCT studies on the human skin, which included a reasonable sample size and statistics. Twenty-five papers were selected and briefly described OCT of epidermal thickness, skin appendages, wound healing, extracellular matrix and skin fibrosis, vascular malformations, and skin tumors such as basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratoses, and malignant melanoma.

Keywords: dermatology; histology; interferometry; optical coherence tomography; skin imaging.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
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
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.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Gambichler T, Jaedicke V, Terras S. Optical coherence tomography in dermatology: technical and clinical aspects. Arch Dermatol Res. 2011;303(7):457–473. - PubMed
    1. Mogensen M, Thrane L, Joergensen TM, Andersen PE, Jemec GB. Optical coherence tomography for imaging of skin and skin diseases. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2009;28(3):196–202. - PubMed
    1. Welzel J. Optische Kohärenztomographie [Optical coherence tomography] Hautarzt. 2010;61(5):416–420. German. - PubMed
    1. Abignano G, Aydin SZ, Castillo-Gallego C, et al. Virtual skin biopsy by optical coherence tomography: the first quantitative imaging biomarker for scleroderma. Ann Rheum Dis. 2013;72(11):1845–1851. - PubMed
    1. Aschoff R, Schmitt J, Knuschke P, Koch E, Brautigam M, Meurer M. Evaluation of the atrophogenic potential of hydrocortisone 1% cream and pimecrolimus 1% cream in uninvolved forehead skin of patients with atopic dermatitis using optical coherence tomography. Exp Dermatol. 2011;20(10):832–836. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources