BACKGROUND

Currently, the issue of early diagnosis of melanocytic dysplasia in pigmented skin lesions as a background condition for melanoma development is still relevant. The problem is not only the difficulty of clinical diagnosis, but also the lack of clear clinical criteria for establishing this diagnosis. Autofluorescence spectroscopy is one of the modern methods of non-invasive diagnosis of tissues’ condition.

OBJECTIVE

To study the main characteristics and features of the autofluorescence skin spectroscopy method, as well as the possibilities of its application in the dysplastic nevus diagnosis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A study of 139 pigmented skin lesions in 122 patients with Fitzpatrick skin types I–IV was conducted. The dermatoscopic index was calculated using an ABCD-algorithm. Godox QTI200 II («Godox Photo Equipment Co. LTD», China) was used for pigmented skin lesions spectrometry.

RESULTS

Histological study has revealed the presence of melanocytic dysplasia of various severity in groups of lesions with high rates of autofluorescence, autofluorescence intensity, and autofluorescence contrast ratio, as well as changes in the autofluorescence spectra curves in the form of maximum migration and the appearance of additional autofluorescence maximums.

CONCLUSION

Pigmented lesion, autofluorescence level of which at spectroscopy exceeds a threshold obtained from unchanged skin of more than 45%, should be considered as a pathology with increased proliferative activity and possible malignant potential. Signs of melanocytic dysplasia of varying severity, which is an obligate precancer, are revealed in the histological examination of such pigmented lesions.