Performance of line-scanning confocal microscopy in human skin: investigation of potential for clinical translation

摘要

Line-scanning, using 8-10 optical components, linear-array detectors and custom-FPGA electronics, may enable smaller, simpler and lower-cost confocal microscopes to accelerate translation to the clinic. The adaptability of commercially available low-cost array detectors for confocal microscopy is being investigated. Measurements of optical sectioning and lateral resolution showed good agreement with theory, and are comparable to that of point-scanning systems. LSFs through full thickness of human epidermis show a two-fold degradation in sectioning performance. Imaging of human epidermis in vivo demonstrates nuclear and cellular detail down to the basal layer with a bench top setup and also a compact clinical prototype. Blood flow in oral mucosa can be imaged using the clinical prototype. However, speckle and background noise degrade contrast and resolution of the image.