Photodiagnosis for cutaneous malignancy: a brief clinical and technical review

Photodiagnosis (PD) for cutaneous malignancy attempts to differentiate between normal and diseased skin without the need for histological evaluation. This technique exploits natural or induced differences in fluorescent signatures between these tissues. The technique may be as simple as using ultraviolet light in combination with clinical exam to as complex as optical tomography. While the need is great due to the enormous number of skin lesions currently requiring physical biopsy, the results so far generated are not as specific or sensitive as is required in the clinic. This brief review outlines the value of PD, its potential applications and shortcomings as well as a short primer on the most common technique employed in clinical practice.