Use of mobile dermatoscope compared to only mobile camera when assessing skin conditions

Skin cancer has increased in recent years and early detection is crucial for the prognosis. An initial assessment of skin conditions is made by a dermatologist. The examination is often done at a skin clinic, but the development of mobile cameras has made it possible to send pictures which means that the first assessment can be made remotely from a picture. There are also portable dermatoscopes that are adapted to mobile phones to provide good quality images.

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SBU Enquiry Service

Consists of structured literature searches to highlight studies that can address questions received by the SBU Enquiry Service from Swedish healthcare or social service providers. We assess the risk of bias in systematic reviews and when needed also quality and transferability of results in health economic studies. Relevant references are compiled by an SBU staff member, in consultation with an external expert when needed.

Question

What scientific studies are there on diagnostic reliability of assessment of skin conditions taken with a portable dermatoscope attached to a mobile camera or with pictures taken only with the mobile camera

Identified literature

No relevant systematic review was identified but two primary studies were identified [1,2]. The primary studies were not assessed for risk of bias

References

  1. Börve A, Terstappen K, Sandberg C, Paoli J. Mobile teledermoscopy-there's an app for that! Dermatol Pract Concept. 2013;3(2):41-8. Available from: https://doi.org/10.5826/dpc.0302a05.
  2. Kroemer S, Frühauf J, Campbell TM, Massone C, Schwantzer G, Soyer HP, et al. Mobile teledermatology for skin tumour screening: diagnostic accuracy of clinical and dermoscopic image tele-evaluation using cellular phones. Br J Dermatol. 2011;164(5):973-9. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10208.x.
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Published: Report no: ut202037 Registration no: SBU2019/9
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Literature search

PubMed via NLM 200115

Diagnosis of skin cancer by mobile dermatoscope or mobile camera

The search result, usually found at the end of the documentation, forms the list of abstracts.; [MeSH] = Term from the Medline controlled vocabulary, including terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy; [MeSH:NoExp] = Does not include terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy; [MAJR] = MeSH Major Topic; [TIAB] = Title or abstract; [TI] = Title; [TW] = Text Word; Systematic[SB] = Filter for retrieving systematic reviews; * = Truncation
Search terms Items found
Population:
1. "Melanoma"[Mesh] OR melanoma[tiab] OR melanomas[tiab] OR melanomatosis[tiab] OR melanocarcinoma[tiab] OR melanomalignoma[tiab] OR naevocarcinoma[tiab] OR "Skin Neoplasms"[Mesh] OR "Skin Neoplasm"[tiab] OR "Skin cancer"[tiab] OR "Skin cancers"[tiab] OR "Skin tumor"[tiab] OR "Skin tumors"[tiab] OR "Skin tumour"[tiab] OR "Skin tumours"[tiab] OR "Skin lesion"[tiab] OR "Skin lesions"[tiab] OR "Skin condition"[tiab] OR "Skin conditions"[tiab] 240341
Intervention:
2. "Smartphone"[Mesh] OR "Smartphone"[tiab] OR "Smartphones"[tiab] OR "Smart phone"[tiab] OR "Smart phones"[tiab] OR digital[tiab] OR “cell phone”[tiab] OR cellphone[tiab] OR mobile[tiab] OR (phone[tiab] AND camera[tiab]) 215388
3. Teledermatology[tiab] OR teledermoscopy[tiab] OR teledermatoscopy[tiab] 743
Combined sets:
4. 2 OR 3 216338
5. 1 AND 4 1796
Final 5 1796

Cochrane Library via Wiley 200115

Diagnosis of skin cancer by mobile dermatoscope or mobile camera

The search result, usually found at the end of the documentation, forms the list of abstracts.; MeSH = Term from the Medline controlled vocabulary, including terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy; this term only = Does not include terms found below this term in the MeSH hierarchy; :ti = Title; :ab = Abstract; :kw = Keyword; * = Truncation; “ “ = Citation Marks; searches for an exact phrase; CDSR = Cochrane Database of Systematic Review; CENTRAL = Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, “trials”; CRM = Method Studies; DARE = Database Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, “other reviews”; EED = Economic Evaluations; HTA = Health Technology Assessments
Search terms Items found
Population:
1. [mh "Melanoma"] OR melanoma:ti,ab,kw OR melanomas:ti,ab,kw OR melanomatosis:ti,ab,kw OR melanocarcinoma:ti,ab,kw OR melanomalignoma:ti,ab,kw OR naevocarcinoma:ti,ab,kw OR [mh "Skin Neoplasms"] OR "Skin Neoplasm":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin cancer":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin cancers":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin tumor":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin tumors":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin tumour":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin tumours":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin lesion":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin lesions":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin condition":ti,ab,kw OR "Skin conditions":ti,ab,kw 7959
Intervention:
2. [mh "Smartphone"] OR "Smartphone":ti,ab,kw OR "Smartphones":ti,ab,kw OR "Smart phone":ti,ab,kw OR "Smart phones":ti,ab,kw OR digital:ti,ab,kw OR “cell phone”:ti,ab,kw OR cellphone:ti,ab,kw OR mobile:ti,ab,kw OR (phone:ti,ab,kw AND camera:ti,ab,kw) 18838
3. Teledermatology:ti,ab,kw OR teledermoscopy:ti,ab,kw OR teledermatoscopy:ti,ab,kw 80
Combined sets:
4. 2 OR 3 18885
5. 1 AND 4 131
Final 5 131

Embase via embase.com 200115

Diagnosis of skin cancer by mobile dermatoscope or mobile camera

/de = Term from the EMTREE controlled vocabulary; /exp = Includes terms found below this term in the EMTREE hierarchy; /mj = Major Topic; :ab = Abstract; :ti = Article Title; :ti,ab = Title or abstract; * = Truncation; ’ ’ = Citation Marks; searches for an exact phrase
Search terms Items found
Population:
1. 'cutaneous melanoma'/exp OR melanoma:ti,ab OR melanomas:ti,ab OR melanomatosis:ti,ab OR melanocarcinoma:ti,ab OR melanomalignoma:ti,ab OR naevocarcinoma:ti,ab OR 'skin cancer'/exp OR "Skin Neoplasm":ti,ab OR "Skin cancer":ti,ab OR "Skin cancers":ti,ab OR "Skin tumor":ti,ab OR "Skin tumors":ti,ab OR "Skin tumour":ti,ab OR "Skin tumours":ti,ab OR "Skin lesion":ti,ab OR "Skin lesions":ti,ab OR "Skin condition":ti,ab OR "Skin conditions":ti,ab 287292
Intervention:
2. 'smartphone'/exp OR "Smartphone":ti,ab OR "Smartphones":ti,ab OR "Smart phone":ti,ab OR "Smart phones":ti,ab OR digital:ti,ab OR “cell phone”:ti,ab OR cellphone:ti,ab OR mobile:ti,ab OR (phone:ti,ab AND camera:ti,ab) 278593
3. 'teledermatology'/exp OR Teledermatology:ti,ab OR teledermoscopy:ti,ab OR teledermatoscopy:ti,ab 1236
Combined sets:
4. 2 OR 3 279349
5. 1 AND 4 2371
Final 5 2371
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