Histologic examination of skin biopsies is currently the gold standard to definitively diagnose malignant skin lesions; however, biopsies are minor, invasive procedures with potential risks. With the advancement of imaging techniques such as laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), it is now possible to evaluate neoplastic skin lesions in real-time and noninvasively. LSCI has been widely used to image surface blood flow in tissues, such as skin, retina, and brain. In this preliminary study, we hypothesized that blood flow within microvessels differs between neoplastic and non-neoplastic skin. This study presents a descriptive demonstration of LSCI application in dermatology. LSCI was utilized to assess surface blood flow in potentially neoplastic skin lesions at our institution’s dermatology clinics. Preliminary data demonstrated decreased contrast within speckle contrast images of malignant and premalignant skin lesions, suggesting increased blood flow to these areas of interest. LSCI may show utility as a noninvasive technique to evaluate neoplastic skin lesions prior to biopsy; however, further systematic optimization is required.
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