title: Automatic detection of asymmetry in skin tumors.
abstract: Asymmetry, a critical feature in the diagnosis of malignant melanoma, is analyzed using a new algorithm to find a major axis of asymmetry and calculate the degree of asymmetry of the tumor outline. The algorithm provides a new objective definition of asymmetry. A dermatologist classified 86 tumors as symmetric or asymmetric. Borders of tumors were found either manually or automatically using a radial search method. With either method, asymmetry determination by the asymmetry algorithm agreed with the dermatologist's determination of asymmetry in about 93% of cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia 65212.
authors.forename: W V
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: Stoecker
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Moss
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008545:Melanoma / Q000145:classification*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000145:classification*