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

Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a novel imaging technique for in vivo examination of the skin that has recently been introduced in the dermatologic armamentarium of non-invasive diagnostic tools. Its usefulness in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of some neoplastic, inflammatory, and infectious skin conditions has been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the LC-OCT features of psoriasis in a large number of psoriatic plaques along with their histopathologic correlation. In this retrospective study, the LC-OCT and the corresponding histopathologic images of 100 psoriatic plaques of the trunk, upper and lower arms from 60 patients that underwent both procedures were evaluated and correlated. The following microscopic findings, typical of plaque psoriasis, were observed at both LC-OCT and histopathology: hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, acanthosis, papillomatosis and vascular changes, Munro microabscesses, and pustules of Kogoj. The LC-OCT findings perfectly matched with histopathology. Our study confirms the usefulness of this new imaging technique in the non-invasive visualization of the common diagnostic clues of psoriasis.