Skin Examination System Combining Epiluminescence Microscopy and OCT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current skin cancer examination methods, such as visual inspections and conventional epiluminescence microscopy, face challenges like air bubbles, thermal stress, and limited local resolution, making early detection and diagnosis inefficient and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
A method combining epiluminescence microscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) for enhanced skin examination, where epiluminescence microscopy provides a large image cross-section for initial screening, and OCT offers high local resolution for deeper skin layers, with automated pre-classification using digital image processing to reduce errors and thermal stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional epiluminescence microscopy with immersion oil is used, then the examination of the dermis is improved, but air bubbles are trapped causing diagnostic distortion and reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the immersion oil medium from the examination system, replacing it with direct contact between the dermatoscope lens and the skin surface. This extraction of the problematic medium eliminates air bubble formation while maintaining the ability to examine deeper skin layers through optimized optical coupling.
2Productivity
If digital epiluminescence microscope is used for relatively long time, then examination efficiency is improved, but thermal stress on skin tissue increases causing harmful effects
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pulsed illumination instead of continuous light exposure, activating the light source only during image capture moments. This periodic action maintains examination efficiency while significantly reducing cumulative thermal stress on the skin tissue.
3Speed
If digital epiluminescence microscope is used, then examination speed is improved, but local resolution in deeper lying layers of the dermis decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines epiluminescence microscopy for surface examination with optical coherence tomography (OCT) for deep layer imaging. This merging of two techniques allows rapid screening at the surface level followed by high-resolution deep layer examination only when needed, maintaining both speed and precision.
4Measurement precision
If optical coherence tomography is used, then local resolution of deeper lying skin layers is improved, but viewing field is greatly reduced making it unsuitable for examining large skin areas
Solution Approach 1:
The examination process is segmented into two stages: first, epiluminescence microscopy provides a broad overview of large skin areas for rapid screening; second, OCT is applied selectively to specific regions of interest for high-resolution deep layer analysis. This segmentation allows each technique to operate in its optimal performance range.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This combined method allows for efficient, accurate, and rapid examination of large skin areas with improved local resolution, reducing errors and thermal stress, while integrating both technologies into a single device simplifies handling and reduces costs.
Implementation Method 1
epiluminescence microscopy... allows in particular an examination of the dermis, i.e. the sub-surface layer of the skin
Implementation Method 2
The analyzer of an OCT device operates on the basic principle of a Michelson interferometer
Implementation Method 3
optical coherence tomography (OCT)... With OCT, however, light waves rather than ultrasound waves are used
Data Source
AI summary
For an improved method for examining the skin of a proband, in particular as part of a skin cancer screening examination or a skin cancer therapy, it is provided that an epiluminescence microscopy image (B) is first taken of a distinctive skin site and by analysis of the image (B) the skin site is rated as suspect or inconsequential with regard to the presence of a disease. In a further method step it is provided that an image (B′) of a skin site rated as suspect is recorded by means of optical coherence tomography and the diagnosis of disease is verified or refuted on the basis of this image (B′). A device particularly suited to the performance of the method comprises an epiluminescence microscopy device (2) and an optical coherence tomography device (3) together with a common control unit (6).