title: Reflectance confocal microscopy features of mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome: correlation with histopathologic and T-cell receptor rearrangement studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome (MF/SS) often requires multiple skin biopsies for definitive diagnosis. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) visualizes high-resolution cellular detail of the skin. The objective of this study is to evaluate the morphologic features of MF/SS using RCM and to correlate RCM features with histopathology and T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of patients with active/recurrent or suspicious MF/SS disease was prospectively recruited for RCM imaging and histopathologic/RCM images were evaluated. Statistical analyses were performed to identify unique RCM features and to correlate RCM features with histopathologic findings and TCR rearrangement studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-three lesions were evaluated. Correlation between RCM and histopathology was moderate for all relatable features (κ = 0.41, p<0.001), almost perfect for intraepidermal atypical lymphocytes [prevalence and bias-adjusted kappa (PABAK) = 0.90], and fair for Pautrier collections (κ = 0.32, p = 0.03). Lesions with Pautrier collections identified by RCM were significantly more likely to show TCR clonality (p = 0.04) and diagnostic features of MF/SS on histopathology (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study captures morphologic RCM criteria for a variety of skin lesions. Pautrier collections visualized by RCM are associated with improved histopathologic diagnosis and detection of TCR gene clonality. Although further studies are needed to validate the diagnostic implications of RCM for MF/SS, our study highlights the potential utility of RCM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Silvia E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Mancebo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cordova
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Myskowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Eileen S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Busam
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Jawed
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Skripnik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Milind
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rajadhyaksha
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.|Department of Pathology and Dermatology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Querfeld
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D012751:Sezary Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
keywords: RCM; mycosis fungoides