Freeze artifact on full-field optical coherence tomography skin imaging

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Medical Imaging
• Histopathology

Background:

• Full-field optical coherence tomography (FFOCT) is a novel imaging modality for rapid histological analysis.
• FFOCT integration into Mohs surgery workflows necessitates understanding tissue processing effects.
• Evaluating FFOCT image alterations post-freezing and FFOCT's impact on frozen sections is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of tissue freezing on FFOCT images.
• To determine if FFOCT imaging affects subsequent frozen sectioning quality.

Main Methods:

• Six normal skin specimens were initially imaged with FFOCT.
• These specimens were then cryo-frozen and reimaged with FFOCT for comparison.
• Five additional specimens were bisected; one half was FFOCT imaged, then both halves were frozen and sectioned for analysis.

Main Results:

• Freezing induced significant artifacts in FFOCT images, notably affecting fat, sebaceous glands, eccrine glands, and dermal collagen.
• Minimal changes were observed in the epidermis post-freezing.
• FFOCT imaging did not adversely affect the quality of subsequent frozen sections.

Conclusions:

• Clinicians using FFOCT in Mohs surgery must recognize that pre-imaging freezing introduces substantial artifacts.
• To optimize FFOCT image fidelity, it is recommended to image specimens before cryo-preservation.