title: Technique Standards for Skin Lesion Imaging: A Delphi Consensus Statement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Variability in the metrics for image acquisition at the total body, regional, close-up, and dermoscopic levels impacts the quality and generalizability of skin images. Consensus guidelines are indicated to achieve universal imaging standards in dermatology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To achieve consensus among members of the International Skin Imaging Collaboration (ISIC) on standards for image acquisition metrics using a hybrid Delphi method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Delphi study with 5 rounds of ratings and revisions until relative consensus was achieved. The initial set of statements was developed by a core group (CG) on the basis of a literature review and clinical experience followed by 2 rounds of rating and revisions. The consensus process was validated by an extended group (EG) of ISIC members through 2 rounds of scoring and revisions. In all rounds, respondents rated the draft recommendations on a 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree) scale, explained ratings of less than 5, and optionally provided comments. At any stage, a recommendation was retained if both mean and median rating was 4 or higher.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial set of 45 items (round 1) was expanded by the CG to 56 variants in round 2, subsequently reduced to 42 items scored by the EG in round 3, yielding an EG set of 33 recommendations (rounds 4 and 5): general recommendation (1 guideline), lighting (5), background color (3), field of view (3), image orientation (8), focus/depth of field (3), resolution (4), scale (3), color calibration (2), and image storage (1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This iterative process of ratings and comments yielded a strong consensus on standards for skin imaging in dermatology practice. Adoption of these methods for image standardization is likely to improve clinical practice, information exchange, electronic health record documentation, harmonization of clinical studies and database development, and clinical decision support. Feasibility and validity testing under real-world clinical conditions is indicated.
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona Center for Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomic Research, Tucson.
authors.forename: Chinmayee
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Katragadda
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Research Centre, Translational Research Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finnane
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Research Centre, Translational Research Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia3Dermatology Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: H Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Soyer
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Ashfaq A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Marghoob
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malvehy
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kittler
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hofmann-Wellenhof
authors.affiliation: Canfield Scientific, Fairfield, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Da Silva
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona Center for Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomic Research, Tucson9University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson.
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson10Department of Dermatology, University of Arizona, Tucson.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Curiel-Lewandrowski