Open AccessStudy of cutaneous cell carcinomas ex vivo using ultrasound biomicroscopic images
Author(s) -
Petrella L. I.,
Valle H. A.,
Issa P. R.,
Martins C. J.,
Pereira W. C. A.,
Machado J. C.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
skin research and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.521
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1600-0846
pISSN - 0909-752X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0846.2010.00448.x
Subject(s) - ex vivo , echogenicity , basal cell carcinoma , pathology , ultrasound biomicroscopy , medicine , ultrasound , in vivo , basal cell , trichoepithelioma , biomedical engineering , radiology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
Background: The ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) technique generates high‐resolution echographic images using acoustic frequencies between 20 and 200 MHz. In dermatology, it enables non‐invasive visualization of cutaneous structures. In this sense, several studies are being conducted for the measurement of cutaneous tumor sizes and for the evaluation of their response to therapeutic procedures. The present work was conducted to analyze the ability of UBM to identify diverse histological structures associated with cutaneous carcinomas ex vivo regarding the evaluation of the technique as a diagnostic tool that could, eventually, improve the patient's healthcare protocol. Methods:Ex vivo human tissue samples, corresponding to basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma cases, were studied. The ultrasonic system operated with a center frequency of 45 MHz and the histological structures were identified by comparison with the light microscopy images. Results: The histological components present in the tumors were identified by variations in the echogenicity level for several of the studied cases and particular characteristics were observed for the different tumor types. Conclusion: The possibility of differentiating the histological components associated with cutaneous carcinomas indicates the potential use of UBM for diagnostic applications. However, a larger number of specimens must be studied.