Assessing Image Quality in Store-and-Forward Teledermatology

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

9-2024

Publication Title

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Abstract

Introduction: Dermatology is a field that relies on visual inspection to diagnose conditions affecting the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes. High-quality images are often sufficient to allow for evaluation and diagnosis by a dermatologist without an in-person clinic visit, making dermatology especially apt to telemedicine. Since its emergence in the literature in the early 1990s, teledermatology (TD) has expanded rapidly in both scope and popularity. There is a gap in the literature regarding the identification of specific factors contributing to difficulties in performing teledermatology on hair-bearing regions, the scalp, and genitalia. These factors may include patient factors, photographer performance, or image quality factors. Methods: We assessed all TD consults at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center from January 2020 to January 2021. For each image, two reviewers took note of image location, quality, and whether a hair bearing area was photographed. Results: We evaluated 613 images; 537 from males and 76 from females. The average age of our cohort was 67.1 with a standard deviation of 14.2. 589 patients were Fitzpatrick skin types 1-3, while 24 were Fitzpatrick skin types 4-6. The most common image quality issue was focus (119), followed by lighting (12), composition (12), and other (12). 455 images were considered fully satisfactory, while 3 were considered unsatisfactory and could not be evaluated using the images provided. Scalp images were significantly more likely to have issues with focus when compared to trunk images (p=.03). Conclusion/Discussion: Overall, we did not see significant variation in image quality across skin types or body sites, indicating the utility of teledermatology for all patients and body sites.

Volume

91

Issue

3 Suppl

First Page

AB129

Comments

American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, March 8-12, 2024, San Diego, CA

DOI

10.1016/j.jaad.2024.07.518

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