Mobile Dermatoscope Type in Patient-Performed Teledermoscopy: A Study Within A Trial

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Medical Technology
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Patient-performed teledermoscopy shows promise for improving access to dermatologic care.
• Limited evidence exists to guide the selection of dermatoscope devices for patient use in teledermatology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness and usability of a low-cost, ambient-light, nonpolarized dermatoscope versus a higher-cost, illuminated, polarized dermatoscope for patient-performed teledermoscopy.
• To evaluate these devices in patients previously treated for early-stage melanoma.

Main Methods:

• A randomized study within a trial (MEL-SELF) compared polarized and ambient-light dermatoscope smartphone attachments in adults with early-stage melanoma.
• Participants submitted lesion images via a secure platform, with outcomes including image quality for management recommendations and device usability.

Main Results:

• Both devices enabled teledermatology recommendations, with similar overall recommendation rates.
• The polarized dermatoscope produced a higher proportion of reportable images per-image analysis (95.0% vs 91.1%) and received more favorable qualitative feedback.
• The ambient-light device users reported more image quality issues, despite similar usability ratings; the polarized device was significantly more expensive ($324.16 vs $35.40).

Conclusions:

• Both ambient-light and polarized dermatoscope devices facilitate patient-performed teledermoscopy and teledermatology recommendations.
• The superior image quality of the polarized device must be balanced against its substantially higher cost.
• Further research may clarify optimal device selection based on cost-effectiveness and specific clinical needs in teledermatology.