Diagnostic performance of the MelaFind device in a real-life clinical setting.
BACKGROUND
MelaFind is a multispectral computer vision system intended to -provide additional information on melanocytic lesions suspected of being melanoma by -objectively assessing their three-dimensional morphology.


OBJECTIVE
Analysis of the diagnostic performance of MelaFind in a real-life clinical setting.


METHODS
In this observational study, 360 pigmented skin lesions (PSL) in 111 patients were assessed by office-based dermatologists using MelaFind. Scores ≥ 2 were considered to be suspicious of malignancy. The decision for surgical excision was left to the discretion of the examining dermatologists.


RESULTS
MelaFind scores ≥ 2 were observed in 147 of 360 PSL (40.8 %). Of the 107 excised lesions with a MelaFind-score ≥ 2, the diagnosis of melanoma was made in three cases; 53 (49.5 %) lesions proved to be dysplastic nevi. Among all lesions biopsied (n = 113), the sensitivity and specificity of MelaFind was 100 % and 5.5 %, respectively. While a higher specificity of 68.5 % may be assumed with respect to the overall data set (n = 360), this assumption is limited by incomplete follow-up data required to confirm that all non-excised lesions with a score < 2 were actually benign.


CONCLUSIONS
The high sensitivity of MelaFind facilitated the detection of melanoma. The overall specificity and benign-to-malignant ratio of excised lesions were acceptable. These parameters may be improved by using higher cutoff scores for excisional biopsies, and by more vigorously selecting PSL for MelaFind examination.
Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, University Medical Center, Ruprecht-Karl University, Heidelberg, Germany.
Christine
C
Fink
Dermatology Practice, Heidelberg, Germany.
Claudia
C
Jaeger
Dermatology Practice, Heidelberg, Germany.
Katharina
K
Jaeger
Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, University Medical Center, Ruprecht-Karl University, Heidelberg, Germany.|Former affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, University Medical Center, Georg-August University, Goettingen, Germany.
Holger A
HA
Haenssle
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D002648:Child; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000069550:Machine Learning; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult