Delineating Basal Cell Carcinoma Lesions Before Surgery With Optical Coherence Tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) may be used for presurgical delineation of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) on the face, according to a study published in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology.

Researchers aimed to compare the presurgical delineation of facial BCC by clinical examination, histopathology, and OCT imaging in tumors undergoing full excision in 10 patients with BCC lesions on the face. Lesions from the clinical lesion border and beyond the resection line were examined clinically, with OCT, and with histopathology at 3-mm intervals. The results were compared among the 3 methods.

In 86.6% of the collected data, examinations using OCT and histopathology were in agreement. A reduction of the tumor size compared with the clinical tumor border set by the surgeon was estimated with OCT scans.

“The results of this study support the notion that OCT can have a role in the clinical daily practice by aiding clinicians in delineating BCC lesions prior to surgery,” concluded the study authors.

Reference
Holm KBE, Nielsen LJ, Lock-Andersen J, et al. Optical coherence tomography for presurgical delineation of basal cell carcinomas on the face—a comparison with histopathology. J Cutan Pathol. Published online February 16, 2023. doi:10.1111/cup.14412