THE DERMATOSCOPE
Oh, by the way, that small mole on my leg that Dr. Russell was interested in? She asked another doctor to bring in his dermatoscope, an instrument that allows inspection of skin lesions unobstructed by skin surface reflections. This is a relatively new tool that is used to differentiate melanoma from other pigmented skin lesions, and helps dermatologists distinguish benign from malignant (cancerous) lesions, especially in the diagnosis of melanoma. Only 20 to 25 percent of dermatologists in the United States use dermatoscopy, so I was lucky enough to be on the end of a new and improved diagnostic tool. Both doctors reviewed the ABCDE’s with me again. However, they both concurred that this particular mole was looking pretty good for now. Still, I was asked to come back in six months for a check-up.
