Purpose: To explore tumors of the limbus with a new in vivo confocal microscope and to compare the images to histology results.
Methods: We evaluated three tumors in three patients with the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II, Rostock Cornea Module. A diagnostic and therapeutic excision with adjunctive cryotherapy was performed for each individual. Confocal microscopy was compared to histopathologic sections.
Results: Histology identified two dysplasias and one carcinoma in situ. The main pathological features were visible on our images: cytonuclear atypias, epithelial folds into an inflammatory and vascularized conjunctival stroma, fine vessels perpendicular to the surface, a clear limit with normal epithelium, papillomatous organization, and abnormal keratinization.
Conclusion: Our preliminary study showed that this type of limbal tumor could be explored using in vivo confocal microscopy. We were not able to determine whether there was a microinvasion. This new method could be a diagnostic aid, especially for atypical lesions and for follow-up because of frequent recurrences. Other studies are necessary to confirm our hypothesis.