Use of imaging techniques for melanocytic naevi and basal cell carcinoma in integrative analysis (Review)

Grajdeanu,Ioana-Alina; Vata,Dan; Statescu,Laura; Popescu,Ioana   Adriana; Porumb-Andrese,Elena; Patrascu,Adriana   Ionela; Stincanu,Alina; Taranu,Tatiana; Crisan,Maria; Solovastru,Laura   Gheuca

doi:10.3892/etm.2020.8620

Use of imaging techniques for melanocytic naevi and basal cell carcinoma in integrative analysis (Review)

Authors:
- Ioana-Alina Grajdeanu
- Dan Vata
- Laura Statescu
- Ioana Adriana Popescu
- Elena Porumb-Andrese
- Adriana Ionela Patrascu
- Alina Stincanu
- Tatiana Taranu
- Maria Crisan
- Laura Gheuca Solovastru
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Affiliations: Department of Dermatology, ‘Grigore T. Popa’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, 700115 Iasi, Romania, Clinic of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, ‘St. Spiridon’ County Emergency Clinical Hospital, 700111 Iasi, Romania, Department of Dermatology, ‘Grigore T. Popa’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, 700115 Iasi, Romania, Department of Dermatology, ‘Iuliu Hatieganu’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400000 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Published online on: March 20, 2020 https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2020.8620
Pages: 78-86
Copyright: © Grajdeanu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Early detection of skin cancer is essential in order to obtain an improved prognosis. Clinicians need more objective and non‑invasive examination methods to support their decision whether to biopsy or not tumoral lesions. These may include several imaging techniques such as dermoscopy, videodermoscopy, also known as sequential digital dermoscopy (SDD), computer‑aided diagnosis (CAD), total body photography, imaging and high‑frequency ultrasonography (HFUS), reflectance confocal microscopy, multiphoton tomography, electrical impedance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, stepwise two‑photon‑laser spectroscopy and quantitative dynamic infrared. This review summarizes the current developments in the field of melanocytic lesions, such as naevi and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) imaging techniques. The aim was to collect and analyze data concerning types, indications, advantages and disadvantages of modern imaging techniques for in vivo skin tumor diagnosis. Two main methods were focused on, namely videodermoscopy and HFUS, which can be included in daily dermatologists' practice. In skin tumors HFUS allows the assessment of tumoral lesions with depth smaller than 1.5 cm, being described a correlation between ultrasonographic depth and the histologic index.

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