Dermoscopy is useful in the evaluation of the skin surface. The doctor uses a handheld instrument, known as the dermatoscope. The physician covers the pigmented skin lesion with oil and alcohol to reduce the reflectivity of the skin and enhance the transparency of the outermost layer of the skin. By performing this, the physician gets a better visualization of the various layers of the skin that are not visible to the naked eyes, and it also suggests the location and distribution of melanin. The physician presses a dermatoscope against the lesion and the images taken by a dermatoscope may be photographed for storage. Post-procedure the physician may either decide to remove the skin lesions immediately or continue to monitor it.
What is dermoscopy?
Dermoscopy is a noninvasive technique that is primarily used for the examination of the skin using skin surface microscopy. Dermoscopy is mainly used to evaluate skin lesions to differentiate between cancerous and benign (noncancerous) skin lesions. It is also called ‘epiluminoscopy’ or ‘epiluminescence microscopy.’ It is primarily done for examining the pigmented (colored) skin lesions, although nonpigmented lesions may also be examined through this procedure.
Dermatoscope used for dermoscopy is a handheld device that consists of a high-quality lens and a lighting system for illumination and magnification purposes. It helps examine skin structures and patterns.
There are three types of dermatoscopes available:
- Nonpolarized light, contact
- Polarized light, contact
- Polarized light, noncontact
Nonpolarized and polarized light help in the analysis of deeper structures and other minute details. Several convenient attachments may help video or still photography, which can even be done via a smartphone.
When is a dermoscopy indicated?
Dermoscopy is helpful in the evaluation of pigmented and non-pigmented skin lesions and to rule out the chances of skin cancers. A dermoscopic examination is useful in the following conditions:
- Any new or changing lesion
- Any lesions that cause discomforts in the patients, such as ulcerations
- Skin lesions that appear to be abnormal compared to other lesions
- Lesions that appear to be cancerous
- Inflammatory and infectious disease of hair and nail, such as scabies
- Finding a splinter in the skin
- Abnormal blood vessels, such as atypical naevi or blue naevi
- Evaluating hair loss
What are the benefits of dermoscopy?
The benefits of dermoscopy include:
- Dermoscopy increases the sensitivity for the diagnosis of skin cancer
- Dermoscopy improves the detection of benign skin lesions, thus avoiding unnecessary biopsies
- It is useful in differentiating benign and malignant tumors
- It allows the monitoring of lesions due to the deposition of melanin
- It may be up to 35% more accurate than clinical diagnosis
- It is noninvasive and painless
- It provides clear and high-quality images of skin lesions
- It is a low-cost technique
- The results are immediate
What are the complications of dermoscopy?
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Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
Melanoma (Skin Cancer)
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer which begins in skin cells called melanocytes and affects more than 53,600 people in the United States each year. These melanocytes can grow together to form benign moles which, after a change in size, shape, or color can be a sign of melanoma. Caused by sun exposure, early detection becomes extremely important to avoid a spread to other areas of the body. Diagnosis is confirmed through a biopsy of the abnormal skin and treatment depends on the extent and characteristics of the patient. Metastatic melanoma is melanoma that has spread to various organs.
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Skin Cancer (Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer or Keratinocyte Cancer)
Skin cancers occur when skin cells undergo malignant transformations and grow into tumors. The most common types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are highly curable when they are diagnosed and treated early. Sun exposure, tanning beds, depressed immune system, radiation exposure, and certain viral infections are risk factors for skin cancer. Skin cancers are treated with surgery or radiation. The prognosis of nonmelanoma skin cancers is generally very good.
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