BIOPSY-FREE IN VIVO VIRTUAL HISTOLOGY OF TISSUE USING DEEP LEARNING

A deep learning-based system and method is provided that uses a convolutional neural network to rapidly transform in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) images of unstained skin into virtually-stained hematoxylin and eosin-like images with microscopic resolution, enabling visualization of epidermis, dermal-epidermal junction, and superficial dermis layers. The network is trained using ex vivo RCM images of excised unstained tissue and microscopic images of the same tissue labeled with acetic acid nuclear contrast staining as the ground truth. The trained neural network can be used to rapidly perform virtual histology of in vivo, label-free RCM images of normal skin structure, basal cell carcinoma and melanocytic nevi with pigmented melanocytes, demonstrating similar histological features of traditional histology from the same excised tissue. The system and method enables more rapid diagnosis of malignant skin neoplasms and reduces invasive skin biopsies.