2.0 DESCRIPTION
2.1 Early
phases of malignant melanoma can be difficult to detect. Surgery
(i.e., biopsy) to remove the melanoma is the standard treatment
for this disease. However, a number of surveillance technologies
have been developed in an attempt to improve accuracy in diagnosing
malignancies in pigmented skin lesions without using a biopsy or
excision (removal) of the lesion itself.
2.2 Dermoscopy
(also known as Digital Epiluminescence Microscopy (DELM), dermatoscopy, melanomography,
in vivo cutaneous surface microscopy, mole mapping, and magnified
oil immersion diascopy) is one of technologies designed for detecting
and monitoring dysplastic and atypical nevi for early detection
of malignant cutaneous melanomas. The dermoscope allows 10x or higher
magnification by using high intensity light. Oil placed between
the skin and the lens makes the skin more transparent and enables
visualization of skin structures to the bottom of the outermost
layer of the skin. This technology offers the physician the ability
to have a baseline image to refer to so he or she can examine each
suspicious lesion, and then compare them year after year, by re-imaging.