Microvascular imaging of the skin

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Microcirculation Research

Background:

• The microvasculature's role in disease is significant but not fully understood.
• There is a critical need for non-invasive imaging to assess microvascular function for disease diagnosis and patient-specific care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize various imaging techniques used for investigating cutaneous microvasculature.
• To discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and future potential of these modalities in research and clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• The review covers techniques such as dermoscopy, capillaroscopy, Doppler sonography, laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF), laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), optical coherence tomography (OCT) and its variants (OCT angiography - OCTA), photoacoustic imaging, and spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI).
• Emphasis is placed on optical imaging modalities utilizing intrinsic optical signals.

Main Results:

• Each reviewed imaging modality has demonstrated success in specific applications within cutaneous microvascular research.
• No single imaging technique is currently comprehensive, with all possessing inherent limitations.

Conclusions:

• The future of cutaneous microvascular imaging likely involves a multi-modal strategy.
• Combining different imaging systems can synergistically enhance capabilities and overcome individual drawbacks for improved diagnostic and monitoring applications.