Non-Invasive Imaging Including Line-Field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography (LC-OCT) for Diagnosis of Cutaneous Lymphomas

• Published in: Cancers 2024-10, Vol.16 (21), p.3608
• Main Authors: D'Onghia, Martina, Mendonça-Sanches, Maria, Erasti, Maria, Cartocci, Alessandra, Calabrese, Laura, Sirchio, Azzurra, Tognetti, Linda, Batsikosta, Anastasia, Lazzi, Stefano, Suppa, Mariano, Soglia, Simone, Malvehy, Josep, Perez-Anker, Javiera, Cencini, Emanuele, Fabbri, Alberto, Rubegni, Pietro, Cinotti, Elisa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: B cells; B-cell lymphoma; Dermatology; Dermis; Diagnosis; Digital cameras; Epidermis; Invasiveness; Lymphocytes T; Lymphoma; Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas; Skin diseases; T cells; Tomography
• ISSN: 2072-6694; 2072-6694
• DOI: 10.3390/cancers16213608

Primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCL) are a heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin lymphomas arising from malignant T (CTCL) or B (CBCL) cells, often mimicking other skin conditions. Recently, non-invasive diagnostic imaging modalities, including dermoscopy, Reflectance Confocal Microscopy (RCM), and Line-field Optical Coherence Tomography (LC-OCT), have become increasingly important, supporting clinicians in clinical practice. Hence, our study aimed to describe dermoscopic, RCM, and LC-OCT features of PCL and to explore their role in PCL management. : Between December 2022 and January 2024, 40 lesions of 25 patients with PCL were retrospectively analyzed at the Dermatologic Unit of the University of Siena, Italy. Predefined dermoscopic, LC-OCT, and RCM criteria were assessed and their frequencies were calculated. At dermoscopy, CTCL lesions were characterized by pinkish structureless areas (58,6%) and homogeneous distributed dotted vessels (35,7%), whereas 57.1% of CBCL presented with orange-yellow structureless areas. Considering CTCL, lymphocytes in the epidermis, dermal-epidermal junction, and dermis were detected by LC-OCT in 73.1%, 66.7%, and 51.9% and by RCM in 72.2%, 55.6%, and 61.1% of cases, respectively. The detection of lymphocytes was more precise using RCM than LC-OCT in CTCL ( < 0.001). Dermal infiltration of medium-reflective cells was visible in 80% and 40% of CBCL cases by LC-OCT and RCM, respectively. : Non-invasive imaging techniques may support clinicians in managing PCL; however, further studies are mandatory in this field.