Digital dermoscopy analysis for the differentiation of atypical nevi and early melanoma: a new quantitative semiology.
OBJECTIVE
To use a digital dermoscopy analyzer with a series of "borderline" pigmentary skin lesions (ie, clinically atypical nevi and early melanoma) to find correlation between the studied variables and to determine their discriminating power with respect to histological diagnosis.


METHODS
A total of 147 pigmentary skin lesions were histologically examined by 3 experienced dermatopathologists and identified as nevi (n = 90) and melanomas (n = 57). The system evaluated 36 variables to be studied as possible discriminant variables, grouped into 4 categories: geometries, colors, textures, and islands of color.


METHODS
University medical department.


METHODS
A sample of patients with excised pigmentary skin lesions (nevi and melanomas).


METHODS
Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the model for evaluating "borderline" pigmentary skin lesions.


RESULTS
After multivariate stepwise discriminant analysis, only 13 variables were selected to compute the canonical discriminant function.


CONCLUSIONS
The present method made it possible to determine which objective variables are important for distinguishing atypical benign pigmentary skin lesions and early melanoma.
Andreassi
L
L
Department of Dermatology, University of Siena, Italy.
Perotti
R
R
Rubegni
P
P
Burroni
M
M
Cevenini
G
G
Biagioli
M
M
Taddeucci
P
P
Dell'Eva
G
G
Barbini
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019723:Endoscopes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology