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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Combining Reflectance Confocal Microscopy with Optical Coherence Tomography for Noninvasive Diagnosis of Skin Cancers via Image Acquisition
Published on: August 18, 2022
Assessment of changes in lentigo maligna during radiotherapy by in-vivo reflectance confocal microscopy: a pilot
E Richtig1, E Arzberger, R Hofmann-Wellenhof
1Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 8, A-8036, Graz, Austria.
Background:
Radiotherapy is an effective treatment for therapy of lentigo maligna (LM).
Objectives:
To investigate the usefulness of in-vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) in radiotherapy of LM and document the changes within the lesions during treatment.
Methods:
A total of six lesions in six patients were investigated by RCM before, during and after radiotherapy. For diagnostic assessment three observers with experience in RCM diagnosis, blinded as to the stage of treatment, assessed the RCM images of each lesion and documented the findings by consensus.
Results:
Epidermal disarray worsened in three patients during radiotherapy and superficial necrosis was observed in four patients. Large pagetoid round/dendritic cells decreased or even vanished during or after radiotherapy. Dilated vessels and apoptotic cells were seen in all patients during radiotherapy as well as an increase of inflammatory cells in the epidermis and dermis in most of the patients. Dendritic cells with small dendrites were observed during radiotherapy in all patients with an increase in number in three patients. Melanophages appeared in five patients at least once during the examination period. All RCM images were assessed correctly by the three observers.
Conclusions:
Reflectance confocal microscopy is a useful method to visualize changes during and after radiotherapy and might also be used for early detection of potential treatment failures. In addition, it might be helpful in planning radiotherapy.
