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Background: The treatment of keratinocyte cancers (KC) strictly depends on their differentiation and invasiveness. Non‐invasive diagnostic techniques can support the diagnosis in real time, avoiding unnecessary biopsies. This study aimed to preliminarily define main imaging criteria and histological correlations of actinic keratosis (AK), Bowen's disease (BD) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) using the novel device line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC‐OCT). Methods: Dermoscopy and LC‐OCT images of 73 histopathologically confirmed lesions (46 AKs, 11 BD and 16 SCCs) were included in the study. Exemplary lesions (10 AKs, 5 BD and 5 SCCs) were additionally investigated with optical coherence tomography and reflectance confocal microscopy. Results: Most common LC‐OCT findings of KC in the descriptive statistics were hyperkeratosis/parakeratosis, disruption of stratum corneum, broadened epidermis, basal and suprabasal keratinocyte atypia, dilated vessels/neoangiogenesis and elastosis/collagen alterations. In the univariate multinomial logistic regression, a preserved DEJ was less common in SCC compared with AK and BD, BD displayed marked keratinocyte atypia involving all epidermal layers (bowenoid pattern), while SCC showed ulceration, increased epidermal thickness, keratin plugs, acantholysis, not visible/interrupted DEJ and epidermal bright particles. LC‐OCT increased the diagnostic confidence by 24.7% compared with dermoscopy alone. Conclusions: Our study describes for the first time specific LC‐OCT features of different stages of KC and their histopathological correlates, focusing on keratinocyte morphology and architecture of the epidermis and DEJ. LC‐OCT may open new scenarios in the bedside diagnosis, treatment planning and follow‐up of KC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Optical coherence tomography ( OCT) has become a valuable non-invasive tool in the in vivo diagnosis of non-melanoma skin cancer, especially of basal cell carcinoma ( BCC). Due to an updated software-supported algorithm, a new en-face mode - similar to the horizontal en-face mode in high-definition OCT and reflectance confocal microscopy - surface-parallel imaging is possible which, in combination with the established slice mode of frequency domain ( FD-) OCT, may offer additional information in the diagnosis of BCC. Objectives To define characteristic morphologic features of BCC using the new en-face mode in addition to the conventional cross-sectional imaging mode for three-dimensional imaging of BCC in FD- OCT. Methods A total of 33 BCC were examined preoperatively by imaging in en-face mode as well as cross-sectional mode in FD- OCT. Characteristic features were evaluated and correlated with histopathology findings. Results Features established in the cross-sectional imaging mode as well as additional features were present in the en-face mode of FD- OCT: lobulated structures (100%), dark peritumoral rim (75%), bright peritumoral stroma (96%), branching vessels (90%), compressed fibrous bundles between lobulated nests ('star shaped') (78%), and intranodular small bright dots (51%). These features were also evaluated according to the histopathological subtype. In the en-face mode, the lobulated structures with compressed fibrous bundles of the BCC were more distinct than in the slice mode. Conclusion FD- OCT with a new depiction for horizontal and vertical imaging modes offers additional information in the diagnosis of BCC, especially in nodular BCC, and enhances the possibility of the evaluation of morphologic tumour features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examined the effects of ingenol mebutate on patients with actinic keratoses (AK) using both optical coherence tomography (OCT) and reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM). The manifestations of AK in these patients include hyperkeratosis, erythema and scaling, epidermal broadening and ill-defined dermoepidermal boarders. The mechanism by which ingenol mebutate induces cell death is described.

Objectives Dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT) is an angiographic variation of OCT that non-invasively provides images of the in vivo microvasculature of the skin by combining conventional OCT images with flow data. The objective of this study was to investigate and report on the D-OCT technique for imaging of the vascular networks in skin as well as to validate the method by comparing the results against already accepted blood flow measuring tools. Methods 35 healthy subjects were recruited for the multicentre study, consisting of three experiments set up to examine the vascular blood perfusion during different induced physiologic changes in the blood flow. In order to validate the D-OCT images against existing techniques for blood flow measuring we performed consecutive D-OCT, chromametry and laser speckle contrast imager (LSCI) measurements on identical skin sites in all of the experiments. Blinded observer evaluations were performed in order to evaluate the vascular morphology in the D-OCT images. Results The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between the D-OCT measurements and the LCSI flux measurements (rs = 0.494; 95% CI [0.357, 0.615]; p < 0.001), and also the redness a* measurements were positively correlated with the D-OCT measurements (r = 0.48; 95% CI [0.406, 0.55]). D-OCT was able to reliably image and identify morphologic changes in the vascular network consistent with the induced physiological changes of blood flow. Conclusion This study has initiated validation of the use of D-OCT for imaging of skin blood flow. Our results showed that D-OCT was able to reliably image and identify changes in the skin vasculature consistent with the induced physiological blood flow changes. These basic findings support the use of D-OCT imaging for in vivo microcirculation imaging of the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]