Ex vivo confocal microscopy: a new diagnostic technique for mucormycosis.
BACKGROUND
Skin-dedicated ex vivo confocal microscopy (EVCM) has so far mainly been employed to identify cutaneous tumours on freshly excised samples. We present two cases where EVCM has been used to diagnose cutaneous mucormycosis.


METHODS
The skin biopsies were evaluated by the skin-dedicated ex vivo confocal microscope VivaScope 2500(®) (MAVIG GmbH, Munich Germany) under both reflectance and fluorescence mode. Conventional direct optical examination on skin scraping and histological examination were later performed.


RESULTS
Mucormycetes observed by EVCM presented as hyper-reflective elongated 20 μm in diameter structures with perpendicular ramifications. Fungi were found both under reflectance and fluorescence mode and were better visible with acridine orange under fluorescence EVCM. Conventional direct optical examination on skin scraping and histological examination found the same elongated and branching structures confirming the presence of Mucormycetes.


CONCLUSIONS
Ex vivo confocal microscopy has both the advantages of being fast as the direct optical examination, and to be able to show the localisation of the fungi in the tissue like the histological examination. In our cases, EVCM allowed to rapidly confirm the clinical diagnosis of mucormycosis, which is essential for the treatment of this fungal infection. Further studies are needed to compare the performance of EVCM with the findings of conventional histological and mycological examinations.
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Saint Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France.
A
A
Leclercq
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Saint Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France.
E
E
Cinotti
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Saint Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France.
B
B
Labeille
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Saint Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France.
J L
JL
Perrot
Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Saint Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France.
F
F
Cambazard
D000328:Adult; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D000069416:Intravital Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
Ex vivo confocal microscopy; direct examination; histological examination; mucormycosis