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Interobserver agreement on line-field confocal optical coherence tomography image markers in keratinocyte carcinomas and precursor lesions

Jacobsen, Kevin ; Ortner, Vinzent Kevin ; Wenande, Emily ; Fredman, Gabriella ; Untracht, Gavrielle R ; Wolswijk, Tom ; Cruts, Emmy ; Mosterd, Klara ; Nielsen, Kari LU orcid and Philipsen, Peter Alshede , et al. (2024) In Archives of Dermatological Research 316.
Abstract

Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a new technology for skin cancer diagnostics. However, the interobserver agreement (IOA) of known image markers of keratinocyte carcinomas (KC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), as well as precursors, SCC in situ (CIS) and actinic keratosis (AK), remains unexplored. This study determined IOA on the presence or absence of 10 key LC-OCT image markers of KC and precursors, among evaluators new to LC-OCT with different levels of dermatologic imaging experience. Secondly, the frequency and association between reported image markers and lesion types, was determined. Six evaluators blinded to histopathologic diagnoses, assessed 75 LC-OCT images... (More)

Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a new technology for skin cancer diagnostics. However, the interobserver agreement (IOA) of known image markers of keratinocyte carcinomas (KC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), as well as precursors, SCC in situ (CIS) and actinic keratosis (AK), remains unexplored. This study determined IOA on the presence or absence of 10 key LC-OCT image markers of KC and precursors, among evaluators new to LC-OCT with different levels of dermatologic imaging experience. Secondly, the frequency and association between reported image markers and lesion types, was determined. Six evaluators blinded to histopathologic diagnoses, assessed 75 LC-OCT images of KC (21 SCC; 21 BCC), CIS (12), and AK (21). For each image, evaluators independently reported the presence or absence of 10 predefined key image markers of KCs and precursors described in an LC-OCT literature review. Evaluators were stratified by experience-level as experienced (3) or novices (3) based on previous OCT and reflectance confocal microscopy usage. IOA was tested for all groups, using Conger's kappa coefficient (κ). The frequency of reported image marker and their association with lesion-types, were calculated as proportions and odds ratios (OR), respectively. Overall IOA was highest for the image markers lobules (κ = 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57;0.78) and clefting (κ = 0.63, CI 0.52;0.74), typically seen in BCC (94%;OR 143.2 and 158.7, respectively, p < 0.001), followed by severe dysplasia (κ = 0.42, CI 0.31;0.53), observed primarily in CIS (79%;OR 7.1, p < 0.001). The remaining seven image-markers had lower IOA (κ = 0.06-0.32) and were more evenly observed across lesion types. The lowest IOA was noted for a well-defined (κ = 0.07, CI 0;0.15) and interrupted dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) (κ = 0.06, CI -0.002;0.13). IOA was higher for all image markers among experienced evaluators versus novices. This study shows varying IOA for 10 key image markers of KC and precursors in LC-OCT images among evaluators new to the technology. IOA was highest for the assessments of lobules, clefting, and severe dysplasia while lowest for the assessment of the DEJ integrity.

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publication status
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keywords
Humans, Skin Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging, Tomography, Optical Coherence/methods, Observer Variation, Carcinoma, Basal Cell/diagnostic imaging, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/diagnostic imaging, Keratinocytes/pathology, Keratosis, Actinic/diagnostic imaging, Microscopy, Confocal/methods, Precancerous Conditions/diagnostic imaging, Female, Male, Aged, Middle Aged
in
Archives of Dermatological Research
volume
316
article number
608
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:39240381
  • scopus:85203287703
ISSN
1432-069X
DOI
10.1007/s00403-024-03344-y
language
English
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yes
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© 2024. The Author(s).
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395b8c42-e0c2-4731-983e-d222c9032732
date added to LUP
2024-09-13 12:20:12
date last changed
2024-09-14 04:00:49
@article{395b8c42-e0c2-4731-983e-d222c9032732,
  abstract     = {{<p>Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a new technology for skin cancer diagnostics. However, the interobserver agreement (IOA) of known image markers of keratinocyte carcinomas (KC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), as well as precursors, SCC in situ (CIS) and actinic keratosis (AK), remains unexplored. This study determined IOA on the presence or absence of 10 key LC-OCT image markers of KC and precursors, among evaluators new to LC-OCT with different levels of dermatologic imaging experience. Secondly, the frequency and association between reported image markers and lesion types, was determined. Six evaluators blinded to histopathologic diagnoses, assessed 75 LC-OCT images of KC (21 SCC; 21 BCC), CIS (12), and AK (21). For each image, evaluators independently reported the presence or absence of 10 predefined key image markers of KCs and precursors described in an LC-OCT literature review. Evaluators were stratified by experience-level as experienced (3) or novices (3) based on previous OCT and reflectance confocal microscopy usage. IOA was tested for all groups, using Conger's kappa coefficient (κ). The frequency of reported image marker and their association with lesion-types, were calculated as proportions and odds ratios (OR), respectively. Overall IOA was highest for the image markers lobules (κ = 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57;0.78) and clefting (κ = 0.63, CI 0.52;0.74), typically seen in BCC (94%;OR 143.2 and 158.7, respectively, p &lt; 0.001), followed by severe dysplasia (κ = 0.42, CI 0.31;0.53), observed primarily in CIS (79%;OR 7.1, p &lt; 0.001). The remaining seven image-markers had lower IOA (κ = 0.06-0.32) and were more evenly observed across lesion types. The lowest IOA was noted for a well-defined (κ = 0.07, CI 0;0.15) and interrupted dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ) (κ = 0.06, CI -0.002;0.13). IOA was higher for all image markers among experienced evaluators versus novices. This study shows varying IOA for 10 key image markers of KC and precursors in LC-OCT images among evaluators new to the technology. IOA was highest for the assessments of lobules, clefting, and severe dysplasia while lowest for the assessment of the DEJ integrity.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jacobsen, Kevin and Ortner, Vinzent Kevin and Wenande, Emily and Fredman, Gabriella and Untracht, Gavrielle R and Wolswijk, Tom and Cruts, Emmy and Mosterd, Klara and Nielsen, Kari and Philipsen, Peter Alshede and Wiegell, Stine Regin and Haedersdal, Merete}},
  issn         = {{1432-069X}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Skin Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging; Tomography, Optical Coherence/methods; Observer Variation; Carcinoma, Basal Cell/diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/diagnostic imaging; Keratinocytes/pathology; Keratosis, Actinic/diagnostic imaging; Microscopy, Confocal/methods; Precancerous Conditions/diagnostic imaging; Female; Male; Aged; Middle Aged}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{09}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Archives of Dermatological Research}},
  title        = {{Interobserver agreement on line-field confocal optical coherence tomography image markers in keratinocyte carcinomas and precursor lesions}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00403-024-03344-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00403-024-03344-y}},
  volume       = {{316}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}