Abstract
BackgroundMobile teledermatology has recently been shown to be suitable for teledermatology despite limitations in image definition in preliminary studies. The unique aspect of mobile teledermatology is that this system represents a filtering or triage system, allowing a sensitive approach for the management of patients with emergent skin diseases.Methodology/Principal FindingsIn this study we investigated the feasibility of teleconsultation using a new generation of cellular phones in pigmented skin lesions. 18 patients were selected consecutively in the Pigmented Skin Lesions Clinic of the Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz (Austria). Clinical and dermoscopic images were acquired using a Sony Ericsson with a built-in two-megapixel camera. Two teleconsultants reviewed the images on a specific web application (http://www.dermahandy.net/default.asp) where images had been uploaded in JPEG format. Compared to the face-to-face diagnoses, the two teleconsultants obtained a score of correct telediagnoses of 89% and of 91.5% reporting the clinical and dermoscopic images, respectively.Conclusions/SignificanceThe present work is the first study performing mobile teledermoscopy using cellular phones. Mobile teledermatology has the potential to become an easy applicable tool for everyone and a new approach for enhanced self-monitoring for skin cancer screening in the spirit of the eHealth program of the European Commission Information for Society and Media.
Highlights
The development of user-friendly technology has brought personal digital assistants (PDA) and cellular phones into everyday use
In this study we investigated the feasibility to perform melanoma screening with both clinical and dermoscopic images acquired using a new generation of cellular phones
Teledermoscopy represents a recent development of teledermatology
Summary
The development of user-friendly technology has brought personal digital assistants (PDA) and cellular phones into everyday use The power of these devices allows their use in more demanding tasks such as processing medical images; their use in telemedicine and particular in teledermatology has been recently proven and the name ‘‘mobile teledermatology’’ has been coined.[1,2] In the first pilot studies limitations in image definition of cellular phones have been found, because the optics of the first generation cellular phones did not allow close-up or macro imaging.[1,2,3] these studies have shown the usability and the feasibility of these new devices in teledermatology.[1,2,3] the unique aspect of mobile teledermatology is that this system might become a filtering or triage system allowing a more sensible approach for the management of patients with emergent skin diseases.[1,2,3,4,5] In addition, mobile teledermatology may become a powerful screening tool for malignant cutaneous tumors.
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