RELEVANCE AND PRACTICAL USE OF OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND FOLLOW UP OF LOCALISED SCLERODERMA.

HD-OCT (high definition optical coherence tomography) is a promising non-invasive imaging tool with demonstrated utility in the in vivo accurate diagnosis of skin cancers but with slightly reduced applicability in other skin pathology, such as inflammatory or chronic connective tissue diseases. This technique can deliver high-resolution images of the skin layers similar with the histological aspect. The present study sought to detect and describe typical features regarding the pathological micro architectural pattern of localized scleroderma using HD- OCT and to see the utility in monitoring non-invasively the effects of first line treatments over relatively short period of time in this specific disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]