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

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.

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.