title: Digital skin images submitted by patients: an evaluation of feasibility in store-and-forward teledermatology.
abstract: This evaluation investigates the quality of digital skin images submitted by patients, and evaluates the feasibility of making a diagnosis and suggesting therapeutic intervention without direct physical examination. A broad sample of patients who called the Swiss Centre for Telemedicine for a skin problem, were invited to receive an oral and an electronic tutorial and to submit digital images of the lesion. All patients (N = 46) who submitted digital images of their skin problems during a two week period were included in the evaluation. Images were electronically transferred to a dermatologist from an independent office. Seventy-four percent of image sets contained focused images, and 72% contained adequate detail. Making a specific diagnosis was feasible in 67% of cases, and the dermatologist was able to narrow down the differential diagnosis in an additional 17%. Recommending therapeutic interventions was possible for the skin problems of 70% of patients. In conclusion, most digital skin images submitted by patients are of sufficient quality, and establishing a dermatological diagnosis is feasible in most cases. These results contribute to the validation of teledermatological processes based on patient-supplied skin images.
authors.affiliation: Swiss Centre for Telemedicine Medgate, Gellertstr. 19, CH- 4020 Basel, Dermatologie-Praxis, Wallisellenstrasse 301a, CH-8050 Zürich-Oerlikon.
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rimner
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blozik
authors.forename: Barbra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fischer Casagrande
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Von Overbeck
mesh_terms: D003880:Dermatology / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*