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Digital Dermoscopy (digital + dermoscopy)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

The Use of Digital Dermoscopy for the Follow-Up of Congenital Nevi: A Pilot Study

PEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2001
R P Braun M.D.
One of the main problems in the management of congenital nevi is the potential risk for malignant transformation and the resulting need for follow-up examination. Dermoscopy is a noninvasive technique that has been shown to be useful for the follow-up of benign melanocytic skin lesions as well as the early diagnosis of malignant melanoma. Therefore we thought to use the digital dermoscopy (DD) technique for the follow-up of congenital nevi. For documentation purposes we registered an overview, and the following standardized dermoscopic images of every lesion: representative architectural pattern, border of the lesion, and regions of "special interest." In all instances the examination with digital dermoscopy was well tolerated by the patients and the integration of the parents to the "live" examination on the computer screen was appreciated. The follow-up was easy to perform with these standardized documents. We showed the feasibility of follow-up of congenital nevi using digital dermoscopy. Furthermore, we identified three different patterns as well as some typical structures seen in congenital nevi by DD. [source]

Surveillance of patients at high risk for cutaneous malignant melanoma using digital dermoscopy

BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2005
J. Bauer
Summary Background, Dermoscopy has improved the sensitivity and specificity of clinical diagnosis of melanoma from 60% to over 90%. However, in order not to miss melanoma a certain percentage of suspicious but benign lesions has to be excised. Objectives, To evaluate the dermoscopic changes and the rates of excision in benign melanocytic naevi and cutaneous malignant melanoma in long-term follow-up of high-risk patients using digital dermoscopy. Methods, Digital dermoscopic images of 2015 atypical melanocytic naevi in 196 high-risk patients were analysed retrospectively. Among others, the following data were collected for each naevus: changes in surface area, overall architecture, dermoscopic patterns and distribution of pigmentation. All tumours suspicious for melanoma or showing asymmetrical changes were excised. Results, During a median follow-up time of 25 months 128 (6·4%) of all naevi showed changes in size or architecture. Eighty-six per cent of all changes in patients who attended more than one visit were observed at the first follow-up visit. Thirty-three lesions showing changes were excised and two melanomas in situ and 31 melanocytic naevi were diagnosed. Conclusions, Follow-up examinations using digital dermoscopy revealed unchanged morphology in the large majority of melanocytic naevi. Excisions were only performed in cases of asymmetrical growth, asymmetrical changes of pigmentation, or development of dermoscopic features indicative of melanoma. The ratio of 33 lesions excised in order to identify two melanomas in situ seems reasonable and may be further reduced in future. [source]