Preliminary evaluation of in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy features of Kaposi's sarcoma.
BACKGROUND
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is an unusual, clinically polymorphic, vascular neoplasm with genetic, infectious, environmental and immunological pathogenesis. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) made in vivo noninvasive imaging of the skin possible and has been used for the evaluation of several skin diseases offering important microscopic information.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study is to describe the RCM features of KS and correlate them with histopathology evaluating the effective prediction attitude and repeatability of RCM.


METHODS
Twelve KS lesions underwent RCM followed by histological examination. Data obtained were statistically correlated.


RESULTS
Analysis of the incidence of 11 selected microscopic criteria (by RCM and optical histology: inflammatory cells in the epidermis and in the dermis, single or in aggregates; spindle cells; stroma; anastomosing, newborn, increased number and dilated vessels; extravasated erythrocytes; deposits of hemosiderin) was performed disclosing a good correlation and high sensitivity of RCM.


CONCLUSIONS
In our study RCM seems to provide high accuracy to predict histological findings, demonstrating its possible role in the management of patients affected by KS.
Grazziotin
Thaís Corsetti
TC
San Gallicano Dermatological Institute, Via Chianesi 53, Rome, Italy.
Cota
Carlo
C
Buffon
Rosana Bortoli
RB
Araújo Pinto
Leonardo
L
Latini
Alessandra
A
Ardigò
Marco
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D046169:Dermoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*