Line-Field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging of Psoriasis With Histopathology Correlation

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Medical Imaging
• Optical Coherence Tomography

Background:

• Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is an emerging non-invasive imaging tool in dermatology.
• Its utility has been shown for various skin conditions, including neoplastic, inflammatory, and infectious diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the LC-OCT features of psoriasis plaques.
• To correlate LC-OCT findings with histopathologic results in a large cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 100 psoriatic plaques from 60 patients.
• Comparison of in vivo LC-OCT images with corresponding histopathology.
• Evaluation focused on trunk, upper, and lower arm lesions.

Main Results:

• LC-OCT successfully visualized key microscopic findings of psoriasis.
• Observed features included hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, acanthosis, papillomatosis, vascular changes, Munro microabscesses, and Kogoj pustules.
• LC-OCT findings demonstrated a perfect match with histopathologic data.

Conclusions:

• LC-OCT is a valuable non-invasive technique for visualizing diagnostic clues of psoriasis.
• The imaging modality shows high concordance with histopathology, supporting its clinical use.