Objective: The objective of this study was to analyse publications related to examination techniques that might improve the visualisation of suspicious lesions of the oral mucosa (ViziLite® system and VELscope® system) or that might facilitate the cytological identification of suspicious lesions (OralCDx®).
Methods: A literature search was performed, using the PubMed database and the key words “brush biopsy”, “Oral – CDx”, “ViziLite” and “Velscope”, limiting the search to papers in English or Spanish published from 2002 to 2008.
Results: According to the results of studies identified, the ViziLite® system has a sensitivity of 100% and specificity ranging from 0-14.2%, the VELscope® system has a sensitivity of 98-100% and specificity of 94-100% and the Oral CDx® system has a sensitivity of 71.4-100% and specificity of 32-100%.
Conclusion: Clinical examination and histopathological confirmation with biopsy remain the gold standard for the detection of oral cancer. More randomised controlled studies are needed to confirm the positive cost-benefit relationship and the true usefulness of these “new diagnostic methods” in oral mucosal pathology.

Autori
Anna Trullenque-Eriksson ¹
Marta Muñoz-Corcuera ¹
Julián Campo-Trapero ²
Jorge Cano-Sánchez ²
Antonio Bascones-Martínez ²

¹ Dentistry graduate. Student of the Official Master in Dentistry Science. Universidad Complutense de Madrid
² Department of Medicine and Buccofacial Surgery. Faculty of Dentistry. Universidad Complutense Madrid