J Oral Pathol Med (2011) 40: 541–544

Background:  Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) are known to precede the development of oral cancer. Detection of OPMD allows delivery of interventions that may reduce the evolution of these disorders to malignancy. Following oral examinations, the accuracy of detection of OPMD by chemiluminescence was evaluated using a commercially available detection kit – ViziLite. Data derived were compared in relation to conventional oral examination and surgical biopsy.

Methods:  A total of 126 patients, 70 men and 56 women (mean age 58.5 ± 11.9 years) attending Oral Medicine Clinics at King’s and Guy’s Hospitals, London, with oral white, red, and mixed white and red patches were enrolled. Sixty‐one patients were current smokers, 28 were ex‐smokers, while 92 were alcohol users. In a detailed investigation, these patients underwent ViziLite examination followed by surgical biopsy.

Results:  Based on the clinical diagnosis, 70 patients had oral leukoplakia/erythroplakia, 32 had oral lichen planus, nine had chronic hyperplastic candidiasis, and rest had frictional keratosis (13) or oral submucous fibrosis (2). Of 126 lesions, 95 (75.4%) showed aceto‐whitening. Most oral leukoplakias had enhanced visibility and sharpness of the lesion when viewed with the ViziLite system. Following biopsy, 44 had oral epithelial dysplasia (29 mild, eight moderate, and seven severe). The sensitivity (se) and specificity (sp) of chemiluminescence for the detection of a dysplastic lesion were 77.3% and 27.8%, respectively.

Conclusion:  While ViziLite has the ability to detect OPMD, it does not accurately delineate dysplastic lesions. The device can be used as a general oral mucosal examination system and may in particular improve the visualization of leukoplakias.