A confocal scanning microscope system (10) using cross polarization
effects and an enhancement agent (acetic acid) to enhance confocal
microscope reflectance images of the nuclei of BCCs (basal cell
carcinomas) and SCCs (squamous cell carcinomas) in the confocal
reflectance images of excised tumor slices. The confocal scanning
microscope system having a laser (11) for generating an illumination beam
(12), a polygon mirror (18) for scanning the beam to a tissue sample (22)
and for receiving a returned beam from the tissue sample and detector
(28) for detecting the returned beam to form an image. The system further
includes a half-wave plate (13) having a rotatable stage (14) and a
quarter-wave plate (21) having a rotatable stage (20) disposed in the
optical path of the illumination beam and at least a linear polarizer
(24) having a rotatable stage (25) disposed in the optical path of the
returned beam from the tissue sample.