title: Histopathological correlates of basal cell carcinoma in the slice and en face imaging modes of high-definition optical coherence tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) scanners have recently been developed, providing significantly higher resolution than conventional OCT.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationship between recently defined histopathological HD-OCT correlates of basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and possible predictors for the most common tumour subtypes.
  
  
  METHODS
  For HD-OCT imaging, we used the Skintell(®) device. Twenty-five BCCs were histopathologically confirmed (including both vertical and horizontal haematoxylin and eosin and Alcian blue sectioning) and correlated with HD-OCT images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the en face mode, lobulated nodules were seen in 21/25 BCCs (84%), peripheral rimming in 18/25 (72%), epidermal disarray in 18/25 (72%) and variably refractile stroma in 22/25 (88%). In the slice imaging mode, we observed destruction of layering in 19/25 (76%) BCCs. In both the slice and en face modes a significant correlation was observed between peritumoral rimming and grey/dark oval structures and lobulated nodules. Alcian blue stains showed peritumoral mucin deposits correlating with peripheral rimming around the tumour nodules. In a logistic regression model, we did not observe significant independent micromorphological HD-OCT predictors for either the solid or superficial BCC subtypes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In agreement with recent studies we have demonstrated that HD-OCT using the slice and en face imaging modes can visualize histopathological correlates of BCC, and potentially aid noninvasive diagnostics. However, using HD-OCT correlation it was not possible to predict the superficial or solid BCC subtypes. For the first time we have shown that peripheral rimming in HD-OCT correlates with peritumoral mucin deposition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Gudrunstraße 56, 44791, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gambichler
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Plura
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kampilafkos
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Valavanis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Bechara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stücker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods