Ex vivo imaging of basal cell carcinoma using synchrotron phase-contrast X-ray microscopy.
OBJECTIVE
There is a need for development of non-invasive methods to improve early diagnosis and screening of suspected malignant lesions. Phase-contrast X-ray microscopy (PCXM) has potential to reveal the structures inside soft tissues, and fine details can be observed without any staining or contrast-enhancing cell preparation. We aimed to investigate the possibility that PCXM can be used to explore the microscopic details of basal cell carcinoma (BCC).


METHODS
Paraffin blocks of specimens from patients with basal cell carcinoma were cut with 30 microm thickness for PCXM imaging. Experiments were performed at the International Consortium of Phase Contrast Imaging and Radiology (ICPCIR) (7B2) beamline of the Pohang light source in Korea. The PCXM images were achieved by using coherent hard X-rays from a synchrotron source with no monochromatization.


RESULTS
We could obtain images with clear edge enhancement by PCXM. The images taken with this technique showed clear anatomic details of organelles in normal skin such as epidermis, dermis and skin appendages. Most of cancerous lesions were clearly differentiated from adjacent normal tissues and the images closely corresponded to those obtained with low-magnification optical microscopy.


CONCLUSIONS
In this pilot study, we successfully demonstrated that synchrotron PCXM could be used for radiological imaging of BCC with great anatomic details.
Son
Sang Wook
SW
Department of Dermatology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Park
Sang Yong
SY
Park
Gyu Man
GM
Ha
Seung Han
SH
Lee
Gun Woo
GW
Lee
On Seok
OS
Hwu
Yeukuang
Y
Kim
Ae Ree
AR
Je
Jung Ho
JH
Oh
Chil Hwan
CH
D000368:Aged; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D018295:Neoplasms, Basal Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011859:Radiography; D012867:Skin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017356:Synchrotrons; D014965:X-Rays