The primary objective of this exploratory laboratory study is to evaluate the ability of optical imaging technologies such as and fluorescence and reflectance imaging and confocal microscopy to assist in margin detection during surgical resections of non-melanoma skin cancers. We hypothesize that these optical imaging technologies may help surgeons delineate the precise areas involved in cancerous or precancerous changes in the skin at the time of surgery; this should directly impact the quality of patient care by facilitating complete tumor removal, while allowing sparing of more un-involved, normal skin.
The secondary objectives of this study are:
· To compare cutaneous lesion fluorescence images and spectra, obtained at several specific excitation wavelengths (including 350 nm, 380 nm, 405 nm, and/or 450 nm excitation), to standard white light images and pathologic analysis of biopsied tissue.
· To compare cutaneous lesion reflectance images, obtained using broadband polarized light, to standard white light images and pathologic analysis of biopsied tissue.
· To acquire near real-time reflectance confocal images of the peripheral edges of lesions (tumor margins) in surgical specimens from cutaneous lesions.· To compare the tumor margins defined by fluorescence and reflectance imaging and confocal microscopy to those defined clinically and by histopathology.
· To analyze images to determine which specific wavelength combinations yield the most diagnostically useful data to discriminate normal from dysplastic and carcinomatous skin area. |