SUBSURFACE IMAGING OF LIVING SKIN WITH OPTICAL COHERENCE MICROSCOPY

Background: A new type of microscope has been developed for acquiring cross-sectional images of living skin noninvasively. It takes advantag e of the short temporal coherence of a broad-band light source to reje ct scattered light. Because this microscope is still in an early stage of development, its potential as a diagnostic tool in dermatology has not yet been determined. Objective: This study was designed to explor e potential applications of optical coherence microscopy in dermatolog y. The aim was to investigate the structures in skin that can be seen without staining or using sophisticated image-processing methods. Meth ods: A prototype fiberoptic microscope was assembled that uses a 1,300 -nm light-emitting diode as a light source. Scans were obtained from t he skin on the index finger and forearm. Subsurface structures were id entified based on knowledge of the anatomy of normal healthy skin. Res ults: Structures located as deep as 1 mm below the surface of the skin could be imaged with a resolution of about 10 mu m in the axial and l ateral dimensions. In optical slices taken perpendicular to the skin s urface, the contours of the epidermal ridges and the boundary between the epidermis and dermis were readily observed. Conclusions: The resul ts of this study suggest that an optical coherence microscope may have value as a diagnostic tool for cases in which visualization of subcel lular details is not required. The resolution, contrast and scanning s peed of the microscope need to be improved.