Clinical real-time confocal imaging of human skin and oral tissues in vivo

The confocal scanning microscope (CSM) is becoming a powerful imaging modality in dermatology and otolaryngology, because of its optical sectioning capability which allows us to noninvasively image thin sections of in vivo tissue with high resolution and contrast. We recently optimized our confocal scanning laser microscope (CSLM) for improved resolution and contrast. Our clinical imaging-and-analyses studies of the past year include: (i) fifty pathologic human skin lesions, (ii) effects of ultraviolet-B irradiation on the skin, and (iii) normal and pathologic oral cavity tissue. In this paper, we present optimum CSLM parameters for imaging living skin and oral tissue, and the results of our clinical imaging work.