Application of laser spectroscopic methods for in vivo diagnostics in dermatology

The importance of dermatologic non-invasive imaging techniques has increased over the last decades. Technological advancements have led to the development of various scanning tools, enabling in vivo examination of living human skin. All provide a preservation of the tissue's physical structure whilst being studied in its native state. Different modalities are currently being used to investigate the skin tissue. Although many of these scanning instruments are still undergoing research, promising imaging techniques, such as high-resolution ultrasonography, optical coherence tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic methods, may yet find a role in dermatologic diagnosis and disease monitoring. In this article, the authors demonstrate their own results and review the influence of laser spectroscopic methods as non-invasive diagnostic tools in dermatology.