In vivo third-harmonic generation microscopy study on vitiligo patients

Melanin is known to provide strong third-harmonic generation (THG) contrast in human skin. With a high concentration in basal cell cytoplasm, THG contrast provided by melanin overshadows other THG sources in human skin studies. For better understanding of the THG signals in keratinocytes without the influence of melanin, an in vivo THG microscopy (THGM) study was first conducted on vitiliginous skin. As a result, the THG-brightness ratio between the melanin-lacking cytoplasm of basal cells and collagen fibers is about 1.106 at the dermal–epidermal junctions of vitiliginous skin, indicating high sensitivity of THGM for the presence of melanin. We further applied the in vivo THGM to assist evaluating the therapeutic outcome from the histopathological point of view for those showed no improvement under narrowband ultraviolet B therapy based on the seven-point Physician Global Assessment score. Our clinical study indicates the high potential of THGM to assist the histopathological assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of vitiligo treatments.