Physicists from Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) in Rome have developed a new type of laser-scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) that holds the promise of diagnosing skin cancer.

The new device is able to gather spectrographic information at a wide range of wavelengths of reflected light, from 500nm (blue) to about 2.4um (infrared), for every point within the sample. This spectroscopic “fingerprint”allows for identification of possible disease conditions. It can penetrate skin up to 0.5mm.

The image is formed pixel by  pixel. The pixel is defined by 4 coordinates: X (row index), Y (column index), Z  (the depth), and Lambda (the spectral wavelengths for each X,Y,Z physical point).

The researchers demonstrated the technology by taking high-resolution pictures of the edge of a silicon wafer and of metallic letters painted onto a piece of silicon less than half a millimeter wide. They also demonstrated that it is possible to apply this technique to a tissue sample (in this case, chicken skin) without destroying it.

“With further testing, the microscope could be used to detect early signs of melanoma,” according to CNR physicist Dr. Stefano Selci. “Until then, it may be useful for non-medical applications, such as inspecting the surface of semiconductors.”

Ref.: Stefano Selci, Francesca R. Bertani, and Luisa Ferrari, Supercontinuum ultra wide range confocal microscope for reflectance spectroscopy of living matter and material science surfaces, AIP Advances, 2011; [DOI:10.1063/1.3631661]