Noninvasive mesoscopic imaging of actinic skin damage using spatial frequency domain imaging

For prevention and accurate intervention planning, it is crucial to predict if lesions will progress towards cancer. In this study, we investigated the change in optical properties and vascular parameters to characterize skin tissue from mild photodamage to actinic keratosis (AK). Multi-wavelength spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) measurements were performed on three patients with clinically normal skin, as well as pre-cancerous actinic keratosis lesions. Our results indicate that there exist significant differences in both optical and vascular parameters between these patients, and that these parameters can be early biomarkers of neoplasia. Ultimately, clinicians can use this noninvasive approach for frequent monitoring of high-risk population.