Line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography for in vivo visualization of morphological characteristics of squamous cell carcinoma in a murine model

Objectives Non‐invasive imaging with line‐field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC‐OCT) can support the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) through visualization of morphological characteristics specific to skin cancer. We aimed to visualize prominent morphological characteristics of SCC using LC‐OCT in a well‐established murine SCC model. Materials and Methods Nine hairless mice were exposed to ultraviolet radiation three times weekly for 9 months to induce SCC development. Visible SCC tumors (n = 9) were imaged with LC‐OCT and the presence of 10 well‐described morphological characteristics of SCC were evaluated in the scans by two physicians with adjudication by a third. Results Overall, murine morphological characteristics resembled corresponding features previously reported in human SCCs. Interrupted dermal‐epidermal junction occurred in 100% of tumors. In epidermis, the most frequently observed characteristics were severe epidermal dysplasia (100%) and tumor budding (89%). Common dermal characteristics included broad strands (100%) and collagen alterations (78%). Conclusion LC‐OCT imaging can be used to non‐invasively visualize morphological characteristics specific to SCC in an in vivo preclinical model.