Application of confocal laser scanning microscopy in the differentiation between seborrheic keratosis and Bowen′s disease / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the application value of confocal laser scanning microscopy(CLSM)in the differentiation between seborrheic keratosis and Bowen′s disease. Methods CLSM was used to observe typical skin lesions in 88 patients clinically diagnosed with seborrheic keratosis and 18 patients clinically diagnosed with Bowen′s disease. Then, tissue specimens were resected from these lesions and subjected to histopathological examination. Results CLSM imaging of seborrheic keratosis lesions showed gyrus?like structures and keratin?filled inclusion cysts in the epidermis with trabecula?like extension of rete ridges in all the 88 cases, basal cells arranged in a cordike or radial pattern in 9 cases, and bright reflective structures in the basal layer and dermis in 6 cases. CLSM imaging of Bowen′s disease lesions revealed disorderly arrangement of large, irregularly shaped atypical cells in some areas in the middle and lower epidermis, and infiltration of scattered mononuclear cells in the superficial dermis. Conclusion CLSM images of seborrheic keratosis are different from those of Bowen′s disease, and CLSM may be helpful for their differential diagnosis.