Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare > Volume 15, Number 5 > Pp. 221-225

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RESEARCH Original articles

A comparative study of teledermatoscopy and face-to-face examination of pigmented skin lesions

Priscila Ishioka ^*, Josceli M Tenório , Paulo RL Lopes , Sérgio Yamada ^*, Nílceo S Michalany , Márcio B Amaral , Ivan T Pisa , Sérgio H Hirata ^*  and Fernando A Almeida ^*

^* Department of Dermatology, Federal University of São Paulo; Department of Health Informatics, Federal University of São Paulo; Department of Pathology, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil

Correspondence: Sérgio Henrique Hirata, Rua Borges Lagoa 504 – 508, São Paulo – 04038-001, Brazil (Fax: +55 11 5576 4804; Email: serhir{at}hotmail.com)

We examined the agreement between diagnoses of pigmented skin lesions based on an in-person (face-to-face) dermatological examination and diagnoses based on the study of medical records and images transferred through the web (teledermatoscopy). Two experienced dermatologists examined and diagnosed 64 pigmented skin lesions, which had been surgically excised and undergone histopathology examination. Two years later, the same cases were studied and diagnosed once again by the same dermatologists via the web. There was 72% agreement between the in-person diagnoses and the biopsy results (the gold standard), and 66% agreement between the telediagnoses and the biopsy results. Telemedicine had high sensitivity (87%) and specificity (73%), although there were 4 false-negative diagnoses. A web-based dermatoscopic diagnostic service appears to be feasible and would meet the needs for access to specialized services in rural areas. However, further work is required to decrease the number of false negative cases.

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