Dermatoscopy significantly enhances diagnostic accuracy by providing a magnified and illuminated view of skin lesions. Before this technology was developed, skin conditions were examined with the naked eye and simple magnification tools. Today’s dermoscopes now have lighting and magnification solutions to enhance the visibility of subtle features. By analyzing these specific dermatoscopic patterns, clinicians can differentiate between benign lesions and potentially malignant ones more effectively with enhanced clarity and precision than before.
2. Reduced unnecessary biopsies
In early dermatoscopy, dermatologists relied on the naked eye, resulting in a number of precautionary biopsies. Nowadays, providers can have a magnified, clear view of the lesion to make their clinical decisions. Some advanced dermoscopes connect to dermatology software developed to provide evidence-based data of visually similar images and their top diagnoses and risk of malignancy. This approach provides insight into other visually similar images and supports your clinical decisions. It can provide more confidence while minimizing patient discomfort and the number of unnecessary procedures by prioritizing accuracy and ensuring that only suspicious or evolving lesions undergo biopsy.
3. More efficient use of healthcare resources
By reducing unnecessary biopsies, it minimizes the strain on medical facilities- the third benefit of advanced dermoscopy. It decreases patient wait times and conserves valuable resources, so clinicians can prioritize resource, space, and time for suspicious lesions in biopsy. Additionally, there are technologies that enable the long-term monitoring of changing lesions to avoid unnecessary interventions early on, again freeing up capacity for more critical and certain cases.
DermEngine's change-detection algorithms are an example of this technology that help monitor for changes over time.
4. Better patient outcomes
Expert tools help us accomplish more work because they strengthen and support the expertise and workflow of professionals. The challenge tends to be in developing, adopting, and implementing these expert tools. When we are able to, the impact can be seen in directly improved patient outcomes. The example of dermatoscopy highlights this story of patient outcomes improving when professionals are equipped with the tools to perform their jobs efficiently, accurately, with more ease and reliability- the final benefit we will discuss for advanced dermatoscopy.
Conclusion
Dermoscopy is an evolving practice with its beginnings in simple magnified imaging for skin lesions and conditions that were hard to see from the naked eye. Today, its become a standard procedure for many medical professionals and institutions as skin cancer rates continue to rise1 and individuals become more concerned for their skin health. Dermoscopy is the preferred process for identifying and analysing skin conditions. As technologies enhance, dermatoscopy has the potential to transform with innovations and impact patient outcomes in a positive way.
-The MetaOptima Team
Ready to experience smart dermoscopy? Request a demo with one of our experts to see the MoleScope and DermEngine system together. 
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