Reflectance confocal microscopy as a tool for screening surgical margins of basal cell carcinoma

An Bras Dermatol. 2018 Jul-Aug;93(4):601-604. doi: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.20187089.

Abstract

Surgical excision of basal cell carcinoma with minimum margins requires serial assessment of layers by frozen histopathology in the case of Mohs micrographic surgery. Evaluation of presurgical tumor margins by in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy is a potential alternative. We selected 12 basal cell carcinoma lesions that were analyzed by confocal microscopy to define margins. The lesions were excised by Mohs surgery. Six tumors showed negative margins in the first phase of Mohs micrographic surgery. We concluded that reflectance confocal microscopy can be useful in the preoperative definition of basal cell carcinoma margins.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Basal Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Basal Cell / surgery*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Margins of Excision
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Middle Aged
  • Mohs Surgery / methods*
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery*