Noninvasive skin imaging of melanocytic and nonmelanocytic tumours: recent findings

Comprehensive Summary

This article is a review of recent literature between March 2024 and October 2025 regarding novel technology and findings regarding both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer. The article finds that the leading diagnostic technique continues to be reflectance confocal microscopy, which utilizes a 830 nm infrared laser to classify lesions as either benign or malignant. Other technologies, including line-field confocal optical coherence tomography, optical coherence tomography, high-frequency ultrasound, and dermoscopy are briefly credited for accessibility and potential for development. Ultimately, the authors encourage development of techniques which would reduce unnecessary biopsy and accelerate diagnosis to improve treatment outcome.

Outcomes and Implications

Research surrounding novel melanoma diagnostic technologies is important as it decreases the incidence of unnecessary biopsy. Biopsies can be painful, traumatic to the skin, and inaccessible, which complicates the diagnostic path and shortens the window of treatment. Pushing dermatological pathology towards using noninvasive diagnostic technologies would open up patients to a broader and more effective range of treatment options. The authors encourage the combination of noninvasive skin imaging technology and artificial intelligence to improve patient care and outcome.