A Photoacoustic Remote Sensing (PARS) microscopy system is presented for label-free histological imaging of skin tissues. PARS captures label-free optical absorption contrast visualizing cell nuclei, connective tissues, lipids, and other structures with contrast analogous to common histochemical stains. Imaging is demonstrated in unprocessed human skin with basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Visualizations are compared against traditional tissue preparation with histochemical staining. Preliminary clinical studies show comparable diagnostic quality between PARS histology and standard histology preparations. The proposed method is a milestone in this translational research project, aiming towards clinical deployment of a PARS microscope for skin cancer imaging.
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