Total Body Photography: The Latest Tools Part 2

by The DermEngine Team on Apr 13, 2018

In part 1 of Total Body Photography: The Latest Tools, we discussed how full body imaging is an area of growing interest for dermatologists and skin cancer specialists alike, as it provides valuable support towards the continued imaging of high-risk patients. However, it was also agreed that the process is not without its flaws. Part 2 of this article looks to discuss how tools can be used to provide solutions to concerns such as consistent medical imaging for multiple patient visits, and tools to support and simplify the process of identifying of any new or changing spots.

The primary demographic of total body photography users are those who have a history of skin cancer, or an increased risk to developing the condition (such as those with large amounts of spots).1 In order to ensure the continued health of these patients, the majority of them will be expected to receive regular skin checks based on their potential vulnerability of developing melanoma or other types of skin cancer. Therefore, in addition to enhancing the imaging process, full body imaging software must account for the ability to identify changes to moles/lesions over time between patient visits.


MoleMatch

A typical visit consists of a doctor locating a patient’s file, capturing new images in a similar pose to previous photographs, comparing the images to identify any new or atypical formations in the spots. Unfortunately, this method leaves room is time consuming and challenging for the physician to identify any potential changes. Despite the fact that the dermatologist has access to such valuable data about the patient’s skin health (which could be potentially life-saving), the professional does not have the tools to properly process the data- thus greatly reducing the efficacy of truly valuable software.

DermEngine Mole Match
DermEngine's
MoleMatch identifies any new spots or changes between images captured at different imaging sessions. This is essential for noticing any changes in early stages to maximize positive health outcomes while supporting experts in the identification of any changes to the skin. Although intelligent dermatology software such as this does not replace medical professionals, it is a valuable tool for assisting them in the arduous process of identifying any important changes to a patient’s skin, which is essential for the support in the early detection of skin cancer and other skin conditions in their initial stages to promote optimized health outcomes. 

Dermoscopy For Total Body Photography

When capturing and analyzing full body images, there may be scenarios where the dermatologist requires a dermoscopic view of a mole/lesion for a more detailed analysis. Seeing as a dermoscope increases diagnostic accuracy by as much as 30%, it is essential that total body photography software allows for the addition of dermatoscopic images to full body image sets.2
DermEngine Total Body Photography Software

For example, in addition to providing MoleMap and MoleMatch features powered by artificial intelligence, DermEngine is designed to work seamlessly with a digital dermoscope. By using this software in unison with a dermatoscope such as MoleScope II, dermatologists are able to capture high quality full body images of their patients in minutes, where they can be mapped to a personal 3D Body Map and later run against intelligent algorithms for abnormal changes to the skin.

In scenarios where spots need further review, the medical professional can simply select the corresponding spot on the body map and add high quality dermatoscopic images for a comprehensive view of the skin in a centralized platform to streamline workflows and further save time.

Final Thoughts

Full body photography is an important step towards enhanced professional skin examinations, and is a valuable tool designed to work alongside traditional dermatoscopy. Although the software offers clear benefits, this investigation demonstrates the necessity of additional tools to enhance the imaging process and ensure the highest quality of skin checks. Only two examples of these tools discussed were MoleMap and MoleMatch, which utilizes intelligent algorithms to identify spots along with any changes to ensure optimized patient results, while allowing medical professionals to focus on their patients- not the process.

-The MetaOptima Team

Are you interested in learning more about how intelligent dermatology software such as DermEngine can optimize your practice? sign up for DermEngine's total body photography tools today.
 
Try Total Body Photography Now! 
 
Sources:
  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3215791/
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3103690/
     

Topics: Dermoscopy Total Body Photography Dermoscope Dermatoscope Dermatoscopy Intelligent Dermatology Software Full Body Imaging Total Body Photography Software MoleMap MoleMatch