BACKGROUND: Dermoscopy used by experts has been demonstrated to improve the diagnostic accuracy for melanoma. However, little is known about the diagnostic validity of dermoscopy when used by nonexperts. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of nonexperts using a new 3-point checklist based on a simplified dermoscopic pattern analysis. METHODS: Clinical and dermoscopic images of 231 clinically equivocal and histopathologically proven pigmented skin lesions were examined by 6 nonexperts and 1 expert in dermoscopy. For each lesion the nonexperts assessed 3 dermoscopic criteria (asymmetry, atypical network and blue-white structures) constituting the 3-point method. In addition, all examiners made an overall diagnosis by using standard pattern analysis of dermoscopy. RESULTS: Asymmetry, atypical network and blue-white structures were shown to be reproducible dermoscopic criteria, with a kappa value ranging from 0.52 to 0.55. When making the overall diagnosis, the expert had 89.6% sensitivity for malignant lesions (tested on 68 melanomas and 9 pigmented basal cell carcinomas), compared to 69.7% sensitivity achieved by the nonexperts. Remarkably, the sensitivity of the nonexperts using the 3-point checklist reached 96.3%. The specificity of the expert using overall diagnosis was 94.2% compared to 82.8 and 32.8% achieved by the nonexperts using overall diagnosis and 3-point checklist, respectively. CONCLUSION: The 3-point checklist is a valid and reproducible dermoscopic algorithm with high sensitivity for the diagnosis of melanoma in the hands of non-experts. Thus it may be applied as a screening procedure for the early detection of melanoma. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel
BACKGROUND: Dermoscopy used by experts has been demonstrated to improve the diagnostic accuracy for melanoma. However, little is known about the diagnostic validity of dermoscopy when used by nonexperts. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of nonexperts using a new 3-point checklist based on a simplified dermoscopic pattern analysis. METHODS: Clinical and dermoscopic images of 231 clinically equivocal and histopathologically proven pigmented skin lesions were examined by 6 nonexperts and 1 expert in dermoscopy. For each lesion the nonexperts assessed 3 dermoscopic criteria (asymmetry, atypical network and blue-white structures) constituting the 3-point method. In addition, all examiners made an overall diagnosis by using standard pattern analysis of dermoscopy. RESULTS: Asymmetry, atypical network and blue-white structures were shown to be reproducible dermoscopic criteria, with a kappa value ranging from 0.52 to 0.55. When making the overall diagnosis, the expert had 89.6% sensitivity for malignant lesions (tested on 68 melanomas and 9 pigmented basal cell carcinomas), compared to 69.7% sensitivity achieved by the nonexperts. Remarkably, the sensitivity of the nonexperts using the 3-point checklist reached 96.3%. The specificity of the expert using overall diagnosis was 94.2% compared to 82.8 and 32.8% achieved by the nonexperts using overall diagnosis and 3-point checklist, respectively. CONCLUSION: The 3-point checklist is a valid and reproducible dermoscopic algorithm with high sensitivity for the diagnosis of melanoma in the hands of non-experts. Thus it may be applied as a screening procedure for the early detection of melanoma. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel
Authors: Waqas R Shaikh; Alan Geller; Gwen Alexander; Maryam M Asgari; Gunther J Chanange; Stephen Dusza; Melody J Eide; Suzanne W Fletcher; Jacqueline M Goulart; Allan C Halpern; Shoshana Landow; Ashfaq A Marghoob; Elizabeth A Quigley; Martin A Weinstock Journal: J Cancer Educ Date: 2012-12 Impact factor: 2.037
Authors: T Rogers; M L Marino; S W Dusza; S Bajaj; R P Usatine; M A Marchetti; A A Marghoob Journal: J Am Board Fam Med Date: 2016-11-12 Impact factor: 2.657
Authors: Andreas Blum; Friedrich A Bahmer; Jürgen Bauer; Ralph P Braun; Brigitte Coras-Stepanek; Teresa Deinlein; Thomas Eigentler; Christine Fink; Claus Garbe; Holger A Haenssle; Rainer Hofmann-Wellenhof; Harald Kittler; Jürgen Kreusch; Hubert Pehamberger; Hans Schulz; H Peter Soyer; Wilhelm Stolz; Philipp Tschandl; Iris Zalaudek Journal: Hautarzt Date: 2019-11 Impact factor: 0.751
Authors: Paolo A Ascierto; Marco Palla; Fabrizio Ayala; Ileana De Michele; Corrado Caracò; Antonio Daponte; Ester Simeone; Stefano Mori; Maurizio Del Giudice; Rocco A Satriano; Antonio Vozza; Giuseppe Palmieri; Nicola Mozzillo Journal: BMC Dermatol Date: 2010-08-13