title: Usefulness of tissue autofluorescence imaging in actinic cheilitis diagnosis.
abstract: Actinic cheilitis (AC) is a potentially malignant disorder of the lips. Because of its heterogeneous clinical aspect, it is difficult to indicate representative biopsy area. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of tissue autofluorescence in AC diagnosis. The system was composed of a 405-nm light-emitting diode, sent to the sample by a dichroic, that allows the fluorescence signal to reach a camera directly plugged in the system. Fifty-seven patients with clinical diagnosis of AC and 45 normal volunteers were selected. According to clinical and fluorescence features, one or more areas were selected for biopsies in the AC group and epithelial dysplasia (ED) grades were established. The autofluorescence images were processed by a clustering algorithm for AC automated diagnosis. The tissue autofluorescence image revealed a heterogeneous pattern of loss and increase of fluorescence in patients with AC. ED was found in 93% of the cases, and most of the areas graded as moderate or severe ED were chosen with the aid of autofluorescence. The processed autofluorescence images from AC patients showed a higher number of spots in an irregular pattern. Tissue autofluorescence image system is a useful technique in association with clinical examination for AC diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Fluminense Federal University, Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro 28625-650, Brazil. ademartjr@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Ademar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahama Junior
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kurachi
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cosci
authors.forename: Isabel Schausltz
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Pereira Faustino
authors.forename: Danielle Resende
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Camisasca
authors.forename: Karla Bianca Fernandes
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: da Costa Fontes
authors.forename: Fábio Ramôa
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Rebeca Souza
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Azevedo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D001706:Biopsy; D002613:Cheilitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008046:Lip / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*