Reflectance confocal microscopy enables the non-invasive diagnosis and management of skin tumors

Abstract

Reflectance-mode confocal microscopy (RCM) is a novel, laser-based technique that enables a non-invasive diagnosis of the skin. Despite a relatively lack of depth, its use is taking off due to its ease of use, reproducibility and lack of invasiveness. Good correlation with the gold standard in diagnosis of skin diseases, which is conventional histology, validates the technique. Recent reports have focused on this crucial aspect for different pathologies as well as non-diseased, physiological skin. Particular attention has been pointed to the diagnosis of different types of cancer, e.g. squamous and basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. In vivo assays have revealed that RCM displays good sensitivity and accuracy for the diagnosis of BCC and melanoma. Furthermore, RCM has also been used to delimit the edges of suspected tumors before surgery and also to image the response of the skin to different treatments. This review summarizes the current state of the art in terms of available RCM units, diagnosis both in vivo and ex vivo and current applications of the technique.