A new technique to map vulva microcirculation using laser Doppler perfusion imager

The location of the vulva has had limited technologic progress in the assessment of the skin microcirculation and its application to clinical practice. Our group previously demonstrated increased perfusion in vulvar cancer compared to adjacent uninvolved skin with the laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). The LDF is severely limited by its low spatial resolution ( approximately 1 mm(2)) and pressure involved in positioning of the probe, which may affect value of the underlying tissue perfusion. Topographic perfusion mapping of the whole vulvar skin using LDF is also time consuming and is not clinically practical. We describe for the first time the application of the novel laser Doppler perfusion imager (LDPI) to map vulvar skin blood flow and give example in two cases with well-defined vulvar pathology-psoriasis and lichen sclerosus with invasive neoplasia-and discuss the potential of LDPI to study vulvar skin blood flow.