Correlation of histopathology with epiluminescence microscopy in nonmelanocytic skin lesions

Epiluminescence microscopy techniques make surface and subsurface structure s accessible to visual examination in vivo. The visualization of a multitud e of special morphological features, such as blood vessels, adnexa and depo sits of pigments in normal and pathologically changed skin allows a reprodu cible and topographical stratification. There is a chance of identifying th e architecture of the stratum corneum,the epidermis and the papillary bodie s. Changes in the amount of melanin can be individually assessed in the str atum corneum and the deeper layers extending into the upper dermis. It is p ossible to differentiate the orientation, size and color of the blood vesse ls of the cutaneous vascular plexus, involving the capillaries of the strat um papillare and the subpapillary plexus.