title: Clinical value of diascopy and other non-invasive techniques on differential diagnosis algorithms of oral pigmentations: A systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the diagnostic value of diascopy and other non-invasive clinical aids on recent differential diagnosis algorithms of oral mucosal pigmentations affecting subjects of any age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data Sources: this systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, Scopus, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source and the Cochrane Library (2000-2015); Study Selection: two reviewers independently selected all types of English articles describing differential diagnosis algorithms of oral pigmentations and checked the references of finally included papers; Data Extraction: one reviewer performed the data extraction and quality assessment based on previously defined fields while the other reviewer checked their validity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data Synthesis: eight narrative reviews and one single case report met the inclusion criteria. Diascopy was used on six algorithms (66.67%) and X-ray was included once (11.11%; 44.44% with text mentions); these were considered helpful tools in the diagnosis of intravascular and exogenous pigmentations, respectively. Surface rubbing was described once in the text (11.11%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diascopy was the most applied method followed by X-ray and surface rubbing. The limited scope of these procedures only makes them useful when a positive result is obtained, turning biopsy into the most recommended technique when diagnosis cannot be established on clinical grounds alone.Key words:Algorithm, differential diagnosis, flow chart, oral mucosa, oral pigmentation, systematic review.
authors.affiliation: PhD Student, Facultade de Medicina e Odontoloxía, Departamento de Estomatoloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pérez-López
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Facultade de Medicina e Odontoloxía, Departamento de Estomatoloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Maite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pena-Cristóbal
authors.affiliation: PhD, Facultade de Medicina e Odontoloxía, Departamento de Estomatoloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva-María
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Otero-Rey
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Oral Sciences Research Group, Facultade de Medicina e Odontoloxía, Departamento de Estomatoloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tomás
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, GI-1319, Facultade de Medicina e Odontoloxía, Departamento de Estomatoloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanco-Carrión