Introduction to reflectance confocal microscopy and its use in clinical practice

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a novel technology that provides noninvasive, in vivo imaging of the skin at nearly histologic resolution. In 2016, the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established reimbursement codes for RCM image acquisition and for the reading and inter...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:JAAD Case Reports Vol. 4; no. 10; pp. 1014 - 1023
Main Authors: Levine, Amanda, Markowitz, Orit
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.11.2018
Elsevier
Subjects:
Confocal Microscopy
Dermatology
innovative technology
lentigo maligna
melanoma
noninvasive imaging
nonmelanoma skin cancer
reflectance confocal microscopy
skin cancer
reflectance confocal microscopy
skin cancer
LM
lentigo maligna
NNT
CPT
nonmelanoma skin cancer
CMS
melanoma
noninvasive imaging
innovative technology
RCM
US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
current procedural terminology
number needed to treat
NNT, number needed to treat
CPT, current procedural terminology
LM, lentigo maligna
RCM, reflectance confocal microscopy
CMS, US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
ISSN:2352-5126, 2352-5126
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a novel technology that provides noninvasive, in vivo imaging of the skin at nearly histologic resolution. In 2016, the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established reimbursement codes for RCM image acquisition and for the reading and interpretation of images. The combination of RCM imaging with dermoscopy has improved the accuracy of skin cancer diagnosis while reducing the number of biopsies of benign skin lesions. With that, we are starting to see more dermatologists and dermatopathologists using RCM in clinical practice. This editorial is to serve as an introduction on RCM imaging with a focus on its usefulness in both the diagnosis and management of skin cancers. We end by briefly describing the characteristic RCM features of normal skin to serve as a building block for later cases that will explore both the benefits and drawbacks of incorporating RCM imaging for benign and malignant lesions.
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ISSN:2352-5126
2352-5126
DOI:10.1016/j.jdcr.2018.09.019