Diagnosis of moles
Last reviewed: 01.06.2018
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Diagnosis of moles is carried out by dermatologists, that is, experts in the field of skin diseases, as well as dermatooncologists, who deal with cases when malignant degeneration of moles is detected.
The most common method of diagnosing moles is dermatoscopy, and the most accurate method is the computer diagnosis of moles.
Dermatoscopy of moles
Dermatoscopy - examining the skin of patients with visual optical magnification through a microscope - began to be used more than a hundred years ago. Today, dermatologists visualize individual skin formations using a special dermatoscope apparatus. Modern dermatoscopes (for example, DermoGenius, Nevoscope, Delta-20, etc.), using both polarized light and unpolarized visualization, allow us to examine and fix with a multiple increase both moles and any other formations on the skin. What is important, the diagnosis of moles occurs in vivo. This method is widely used in differential diagnosis of various skin pathologies, especially in the diagnosis of dermatofibrom, angiomas, melanoma (skin cancer) and basal cell carcinoma.
To make the correct diagnosis, dermatoscopy or epiluminescent microscopy (ELM) provides valuable information about the structure of the mole, which allows physicians to have an idea of the cellular structure of melanocyte accumulations without physically affecting the tissues and impairing their integrity.
According to the International Dermoscopy Society (IDS), the accuracy of dermatoscopy is 20% higher than the diagnosis of moles with the naked eye, which increases the level of specificity and reduces the number of unnecessary surgical excisions of benign tumors.
Each patient after a diagnosis of moles has a printed copy of her results with a picture of the examined nevi.
[11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16]
Computer diagnosis of moles
To date, computer diagnostics of moles (DELM or digital dermatoscopy) using FotoFinder or MoleMax systems, as well as the advanced digital LED dermatoscope Delta 20 Plus, has been recognized as the absolute leader in diagnostic methods in dermatology.
Thus, computer diagnostics of moles by the digital video dermatomy FotoFinder (manufactured in Germany) enables:
- visually in tens and even hundreds of times to increase the examined moles, receiving their high-quality images;
- determine such parameters of the birthmark as diameter, total area and the exact configuration of the boundaries along the perimeter;
- due to the high resolution of images (2 Mp) to see the morphological features of moles, including melanin and blood vessels;
- conduct dermatoscopic analysis of skin formations and determine their cytological specificity (in the presence of the program-algorithm Moleanalyzer);
- create a topographical diagram of the location of all birthmarks on the patient's body.
Computer diagnosis of moles is used to monitor and predict predictive skin lesions: dermatoscopic images are digitally stored in a database of each patient, and they can be compared to images obtained during the previous or next visit to the doctor.
[17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23]
Histological diagnosis of moles
Certainly, dermatoscopic diagnosis of moles increases the diagnostic accuracy, but if a mole is suspected of degeneration (malingning), histological diagnosis of moles is necessary - the gold standard for assessing pigmentary skin lesions for malignancy. This diagnosis is carried out by a dermatologist-oncologist on the basis of analysis (under a microscope) and a pathomorphologic description of the cellular structures of a remote mole.
In domestic dermatology, a biopsy of the birthmark is not carried out until it is removed, as only the nevi with signs of atypicality (identified with dermatoscopy) are removed for medical reasons. To perform a histological study, surgical dermatologists remove a suspicious mole either by conventional excision or by laser surgery, in order to preserve all the removed tissues.
Histological diagnosis of moles is necessary to confirm or deny their malignancy. And the final diagnosis is formulated only after a histological conclusion.
Clinics that diagnose moles
- Diagnosis of moles in Kiev is carried out by the Institute of Dermatocosmetology of Dr. Bogomolets; the diagnostic center of the Cyber Clinic of Academician Yu. Spizhenko; medical center of the Institute of Clinical Medicine; dermatological clinic EuroDerm; clinics Medikom, Medkryonika, etc.
- In Kharkov: clinic Medikom, medical center European dermatology, diagnostic center Milner Medical.
- In Zaporozhye: the medical center Oxford Medical.
- In Moscow: a multidisciplinary medical center HE CLINIC, a clinic of German medical technologies GMT Clinic, MC Asteri-Med, a clinic of Medic City and others.
- In St. Petersburg: Neomed clinics, ABIA and others.
If you are interested in free diagnosis of moles, you need to monitor the shares of large medical institutions, as well as special offers, information about which can be found on their official websites and pre-enroll for a free consultation. Periodically, such actions are conducted by the LISOD clinic in Kiev, and also by Cyber Clinic Yu. Spizhenko.