We have been working on the application of real-time white light
confocal microscopy to ophthalmology and dermatology for the past five
years. An approved device has been able to diaganose many types of corneal
infections and aslo infections of the fingernails.  There is an expanding
group of people around the world using this type of confocal technology for
clinical use. However, this approach works well for basic research where
tissue culture or histology may have been previuosly substituted. High
magnifications of 400-600 can be used with patients or in laboratory animals.
        Thsi is in addition to the laser scanning technologies that have
been used for the retina.
        Regards,
        Roger Beuerman


>A colleague here at the University of Arizona is developing a WWW-based
>educational unit that will mention the use of confocal microscopy in
>toxicology research conducted here at our NIEHS funded center.  She asked
>me about the use of confocal microscopy in medicine (see the exerpt of out
>conversation below) and I mentioned opthamology, but are there other
>clinical uses of confocals?
>
>To keep the traffic on the list down, please reply to me ands I will post a
>summary.
>
>Yours,
>Doug Cromey
>
>-----------------------
>> >1.  Are there any medical uses for it? If so, what are they?
>>
>> Confocals are used extensively in opthamology (on live people).  The
>> instrument is a slightly modified version (sorry I don't know how),
>> but they are apparently great for examining the different cell
>> layers of the retina.  I would think there would be uses in
>> Pathology, since immunofluoresence is already used extensively in
>> that field for identifying cellular markers of disease states, but
>> I'm not aware of any specifics.  I can post a question to the
>> confocal listserv if you'd like.
>
>That would be great!  What I need to know are examples of how the
>confocal is used in medicine and some specifics about what it is used
>to do.  IE if it is used to diagnose disease X, how is it used?  Do
>they count cells with it or look at shapes or locations or what?
>------------------------
>.....................................................................
>: Douglas W. Cromey, M.S.       Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy     :
>: Sr. Research Specialist       University of Arizona               :
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