title: Diagnostic value of telecytology in tertiary teledermatological consultation: a retrospective analysis of 75 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The addition of dermatoscopic images to clinical images is reported to increase the diagnostic value of teledermatology. No study has investigated the contribution of telecytology to teledermatology. We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of telecytology in tertiary teledermatological evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 75 patients for whom no diagnosis could be established at face-to-face clinical examinations and cytological evaluations, who therefore consulted with a dermatologist experienced in cytology through the store-and-forward method. Telecytological diagnosis was then compared with the final diagnosis, and diagnostic accuracy was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the past 2 years, 75 patients (38 [50.7%] female, 37 [49.3%] male) were evaluated by telecytology. According to definitive diagnoses, 31 patients (41.3%) had erosive-vesiculobullous, 25 (33.3%) had tumoral, and 19 (15.8%) had granulomatous disease. Diagnostic accuracy of telecytology was 90.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study was a retrospective study, and cytological images were evaluated by one dermatologist only; therefore, no reliability analysis could be performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study revealed that the cytological images should be used in tertiary teledermatological evaluation. Further studies should therefore be carried out to investigate the diagnostic value of different telecytological methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Başkent University Faculty of Medicine, Adana Hospital, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durdu
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003584:Cytological Techniques; D003880:Dermatology / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017216:Telemedicine; D055815:Young Adult