Reflectance confocal microscopic visualization of melanocytic bodies in the stratum corneum overlying acral lentiginous melanoma.
Nicole NatarelliKatharine L HanlonWei-Shen ChenJames M GrichnikJonathan S ZagerLilia Correa-SelmPublished in: Lasers in surgery and medicine (2023)
Typically, acral surfaces are challenging to examine with RCM due to the limited ability of light to penetrate thickened stratum corneum; however, we observed unique cellular features with confocal. Scattered hyper-reflective pleomorphic cells consistent with melanocytes were observed in the stratum corneum, although the visualized underlying epidermis appeared normal. Confocal microscopy may aid in diagnosis and management of ALM, especially in the context of positive surgical margins.