Dermoscopy for the diagnosis of melanoma: primary care diagnostic technology update

Abstract

#### Clinical Question In patients presenting to primary care with suspected melanoma, does dermoscopy increase the sensitivity and specificity of melanoma diagnosis compared to simple visual inspection? Early detection of melanoma is the single most promising strategy to cut mortality rates of this disorder.1 Thus far, most skin disease is diagnosed by simple visual inspection and biopsy. Two factors directly influence clinical practice and patient management: first, the ability to identify lesions correctly that have the potential to be melanoma; and second, the number of skin excisions performed to confirm diagnosis. Dermoscopy is a technique for the analysis of pigmented skin lesions. This technique represents a link between clinical and histological views. It also helps in the diagnosis of many other pigmented skin lesions that can mimic melanoma; such as, seborrheic keratosis, pigmented basal cell carcinoma, haemangioma, blue naevus, atypical naevus, and benign naevus. Dermoscopic monitoring of pigmented lesions increases the likelihood that featureless melanomas are not overlooked and minimises the excision of benign lesions. The dermatoscope generates a beam of light that falls on the cutaneous surface at an angle of 20°, …