ILLUMINATION WITH Nevoscope
Nevoscope is a patented*
skin examination microscope with three modes of illumination
(transillumination, surface illumination and epiluminescence)
for total illumination of the skin and subsurface structures.
The light source is a
bright halogen lamp with variable intensity control. The light is channeled
through a flexible optical guide to the ring light in the Nevoscope, where it
is directed onto the skin for transillumination of the area of interest.
Special surface light
fibers shine light on to the surface of the skin. The combination of
simultaneous transillumination and surface illumination provides ‘No Oil Epiluminescence’ imaging of lesions.
The amount of surface light
can be controlled to enhance the subsurface pigmentation.
TransLite Nevoscope showing the ring light for
transillumination and the surface lights
The optical lenses are
interchangeable for different magnification.
TRANSILLUMINATION
Transillumination is a
technique whereby the light is directed into the skin such that the scattered
light from the skin illuminates the lesion from within the skin.
Transillumination is achieved by putting the Nevoscope directly in contact with
the skin. Fiber optic light guides direct the light so that it uniformly
illuminates the area of interest and the light is ‘focused’ under
the skin. Transillumination light intensity can be controlled by a knob on the
light source box.
Transillumination mode illumination of the skin
Light is directed into the
skin from the side so that it is, effectively, focused under the area of
interest. There is no surface light and no surface reflection to interfere with
imaging of subsurface structures.
SURFACE ILLLUMINATION
Surface illumination is
achieved by four fiber light point sources shining on to the skin from within
the TransLite Nevoscope. The light from the surface light sources is adjusted
by rotating a knob located on the TransLite Nevoscope. A combination of both
surface and transillumination are achieved by placing the Nevoscope on the skin
and rotating the adjustment control for the surface lighting. Conventional
surface illumination is achieved by raising the Nevoscope a few millimeters
from the surface of the skin with a special spacer, so that the light from the
ring of fibers in the Nevoscope shines directly onto the skin and uniformly
illuminates it from all angles.
Surface mode illumination of the skin
Most of the light shining
down on the surface of the skin is reflected. Very little light penetrates the
surface and the image of the skin is dominated by the reflected light.
Subsurface structures are obscured by the surface reflected light.
Surface and transillumination demonstrated by viewing lemon
skin
On the left is a
conventional image of the surface of the lemon obtained with surface lighting
only. On the right is the transillumination image obtained with
transillumination only. It shows the subsurface structure in the lemon peel
that is not visualized with surface lighting. The region imaged is approximately
8 x 8 mm in size. High resolution and magnification images show round
subsurface structures that are most likely oil pockets.
Epiluminescence imaging of a pigmented lesion with
the Dermatoscope (left) and transillumination imaging
with the Nevoscope (right)
The Dermatoscope
image was obtained with oil and a face plate. The image resolution has been
reduced to display these images faster for the web pages. Higher resolution
images show better pigmentation details in both images.
EPILUMINESCENCE
The TransLite Nevoscope
does ‘No Oil or Face Plate’ epiluminescence
imaging by combining the transillumination and surface illumination in the
device. This mode of operation has three advantages: (1) there is no oil on the
surface to change the characteristics of the skin, and (2) there are no air
bubbles on the skin, and (3) raised lesions can be visualized without
compressing them.
Surface, Epiluminescence and
Transillumination, demonstrated by viewing a skin wound approximately 4 mm in
diameter
Epiluminescence without oil and face-plate is
achieved by simultaneous Surface and Transillumination.
TransLite
8410
Highway 90A, Suite 150, Sugar Land, TX 77478
Tel:
281.240.3111, Fax: 281.240.3122, E-mail: info@tlite.com