Non-Invasive Skin Imaging Techniques for Diagnosing and Monitoring Mycosis Fungoides: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Mycosis fungoides, the most common primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, presents notable diagnostic challenges. In its early stages, it may resemble inflammatory dermatoses both clinically and histologically, causing delays in diagnosis. These factors can lead to treatment delays, allowing the disease to progress and adversely affecting the patient’s quality of life. To address this issue, the use of skin imaging techniques like dermoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, and high-frequency ultrasound has increased in recent years. These techniques assist in diagnosis and treatment monitoring, reducing unnecessary biopsies by guiding accurate sampling from the most relevant sites and improving staging accuracy. This review provides a thorough overview of non-invasive skin imaging methods employed in the diagnosis and management of mycosis fungoides.