AUTHOR=Danescu Sorina , Negrutiu Mircea , Focsan Monica , Baican Adrian 

TITLE=An overview of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma imaging diagnosis methods

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2024.1388835

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2024.1388835

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<p>Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, a type of non-melanoma skin cancer, is a form of keratinocyte carcinoma that stands as one of the most prevalent cancers, exhibiting a rising frequency. This review provides an overview of the latest literature on imaging methods for diagnosing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and actinic keratosis (AK). It discusses the diagnostic criteria, advantages, and disadvantages of various techniques such as dermatoscopy, skin ultrasound (US), <italic>in vivo</italic> and <italic>ex-vivo</italic> reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), and line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT). These methods offer benefits including non-invasiveness, rapidity, comprehensive lesion imaging, and enhanced sensitivity, but face challenges like high costs and the need for specialized expertise. Despite obstacles, the use of these innovative techniques is expected to increase with ongoing technological advancements, improving diagnosis and treatment planning for keratinocyte carcinomas. Standardizing LC-OCT imaging algorithms for AK, Bowen’s disease, and SCC remains an area for further research.</p>