[Dynamic dermoscopy]

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Oncology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Early-stage melanoma detection is challenging.
• High-risk patients (e.g., atypical nevus syndrome, >50 nevi) require vigilant monitoring.
• Repetitive surgical excision of benign nevi is not a guaranteed method for early melanoma identification and can lead to disfigurement.

Observation:

• A case study involving a high-risk patient with in situ melanoma.
• The lesion had not changed macroscopically.
• Repeated dermoscopic examinations were performed at three-month intervals.

Findings:

• Subtle changes in the pigment network of the in situ melanoma were observed during repeated dermoscopy.
• These changes included coarsening of the pigment network.
• The lesion's macroscopic appearance remained unchanged.

Implications:

• Repeated dermoscopy is a valuable tool for monitoring suspicious lesions in high-risk individuals.
• This method can aid in the early detection of melanoma by identifying subtle, sub-visual changes.
• It may help reduce the need for unnecessary excisions of benign nevi, minimizing surgical morbidity.