title: Spectroscopic methods for the photodiagnosis of nonmelanoma skin  cancer.
abstract: The importance of dermatological noninvasive imaging techniques has increased over the last decades, aiming at diagnosing nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Technological progress has led to the development of various analytical tools, enabling the in vivo/in vitro examination of lesional human skin with the aim to increase diagnostic accuracy and decrease morbidity and mortality. The structure of the skin layers, their chemical composition, and the distribution of their compounds permits the noninvasive photodiagnosis of skin diseases, such as skin cancers, especially for early stages of malignant tumors. An important role in the dermatological diagnosis and disease monitoring has been shown for promising spectroscopic and imaging techniques, such as fluorescence, diffuse reflectance, Raman and near-infrared spectroscopy, optical coherence tomography, and confocal laser-scanning microscopy. We review the use of these spectroscopic techniques as noninvasive tools for the photodiagnosis of NMSC.
authors.affiliation: University of Athens, Department of Dermatology and Photobiology, Andreas Syggros Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Drakaki
authors.forename: Theognosia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vergou
authors.forename: Clio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dessinioti
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stratigos
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salavastru
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antoniou
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*