Multispectral digital skin lesion analysis reduces unnecessary biopsies for melanoma

Using a multispectral digital device to analyze patients’ pigmented skin lesions may help reduce the number of unnecessary skin biopsies, according to a poster study presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Summer Meeting.

Researchers used the multispectral digital skin lesion analysis device (MSDSLA) to review 137 lesions chosen for biopsy to rule out melanoma. In a post-hoc analysis, all of the lesions were categorized based on a local pathologist’s re-excision recommendation.

MSDSLA accurately identified the one invasive melanoma and 15 moderately dysplastic nevi biopsied by the examining dermatologist, according to the researchers.

All lesions for which the MSDSLA produced “low” disorganization readings — lesions with scores below zero — were found to be histologically benign. In previous studies, the MSDSLA demonstrated a 98.1% negative predictive value and a high confidence level that lesions with low disorganization readings were benign, according to the researchers.

“Consideration of MSDSLA’s negative predictive value may help dermatologists reduce biopsies of histologically benign lesions,” the researchers wrote.

Reference: Nestor MS. Poster #199. Presented at: the American Academy of Dermatology Summer Meeting; August 6-10, 2014; Chicago, IL.

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial disclosures.