Dermatoscopy, also known as epiluminescence microscopy, is a powerful tool used to observe pigmented skin disorders. Similar to ophthalmoscopes and otoscopes, dermatoscopes are used to examine pigmented skin conditions. In the diagnosis and treatment of vitiligo and other pigmented skin diseases, dermatoscopy is incorporated into the auxiliary diagnostic system.
Dermatoscopy primarily uses a magnifying device with a special light source to non-invasively observe the pigment, blood vessels, and texture of the skin surface. Its core function is to assist in determining the benign or malignant nature of moles and to detect melanoma in its early stages. It can also differentiate between various common skin diseases. Specifically, it can examine a wide range of diseases, mainly covering the following categories:
Which moles and tumors can be detected?
This is the core purpose of dermatoscopy: doctors differentiate between benign and malignant moles by observing the distribution of pigment and the morphology of blood vessels.
Pigmented nevi and melanoma: Dermoscopy can clearly show whether the pigment network of a nevus is symmetrical and whether its borders are clear, helping to differentiate between common benign nevi and malignant melanomas, reducing unnecessary excision biopsies.
Common skin tumors: For basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, etc., dermoscopy can detect characteristic dendritic blood vessels or blue-gray structures, aiding in early diagnosis.
Seborrheic keratosis: Also known as age spots, dermoscopy can reveal miliary cysts or gyri-like structures, which can distinguish it from melanoma.
