TY - JOUR

T1 - Photoacoustic tomography for assessment and quantification of cutaneous and metastatic malignant melanoma - A systematic review

AU - von Knorring, Terese

AU - Mogensen, Mette

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background: Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is an emerging noninvasive imaging technique combining high sensitivity optical absorption contrast, such as melanin, with high-resolution ultrasound for deep tissue imaging. The ability of PAT to provide real-time images of skin structures at depth has been studied for diagnosis of primary and metastatic malignant melanoma (MM). Objective: To provide an overview of the rapidly expanding clinical use of PAT for determination of melanoma thickness and architecture, visualization of metastases in lymph nodes and detection of circulating melanoma cells. Methods: Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library were searched for papers using PAT to assess cutaneous malignant melanoma and melanoma metastases in humans or human specimens. Results: The research resulted in 14 articles which met the search criteria. Conclusions: Results from current studies suggest that PAT is a promising tool for assessing both primary and metastatic malignant melanoma in the clinic. The potential of PAT to noninvasively visualize tumour boundaries, as well as assist in the evaluation of metastatic status, could facilitate more effective treatment, resulting in better clearance and reducing the need for additional biopsies. However, larger and methodologically sound studies are warranted.

AB - Background: Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is an emerging noninvasive imaging technique combining high sensitivity optical absorption contrast, such as melanin, with high-resolution ultrasound for deep tissue imaging. The ability of PAT to provide real-time images of skin structures at depth has been studied for diagnosis of primary and metastatic malignant melanoma (MM). Objective: To provide an overview of the rapidly expanding clinical use of PAT for determination of melanoma thickness and architecture, visualization of metastases in lymph nodes and detection of circulating melanoma cells. Methods: Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library were searched for papers using PAT to assess cutaneous malignant melanoma and melanoma metastases in humans or human specimens. Results: The research resulted in 14 articles which met the search criteria. Conclusions: Results from current studies suggest that PAT is a promising tool for assessing both primary and metastatic malignant melanoma in the clinic. The potential of PAT to noninvasively visualize tumour boundaries, as well as assist in the evaluation of metastatic status, could facilitate more effective treatment, resulting in better clearance and reducing the need for additional biopsies. However, larger and methodologically sound studies are warranted.

KW - Diagnostic imaging

KW - Malignant melanoma

KW - Multispectral optoacoustic tomography

KW - Photoacoustic imaging

KW - Raster scanning optoacoustic mesoscopy

KW - Skin cancer

U2 - 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2020.102095

DO - 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2020.102095

M3 - Review

C2 - 33188938

AN - SCOPUS:85097434805

VL - 33

JO - Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy

JF - Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy

SN - 1572-1000

M1 - 102095

ER -