Role of VivaScope 2500 ex vivo confocal microscopy in skin pathology: Advantages, limitations, and future prospects

BACKGROUND: Vivascope 2500 ex vivo confocal microscopy (EVCM) is an emerging optical imaging device that allows nuclear level resolution of freshly excised tissues. EVCM provides, rapid real‐time pathological examination in many subspecialties of pathology including skin, prostate, breast, liver, etc. In contrast to traditional time‐consuming frozen sectioning and histological analysis. AIMS: To evaluate the current state of EVCM utilization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study highlights the advantages, limitations, and prospects of EVCM in skin pathology. RESULTS: Our findings demonstrate that EVCM is a promising adjunctive tool to assess margins in Mohs surgery and to provide rapid, accurate diagnosis of cutaneous tumors, infectious and inflammatory diseases. CONCLUSION: EVCM is a revolutionary device that can be used as an adjunct to paraffin‐fixed, hematoxylin and eosin‐stained slides and frozen sectioning. Additional refinements are required before EVCM can be used as an alternative to frozen sectioning or traditional tissue processing.