Original Articles
Study of diagnostic predictability of dermoscopy over clinical diagnosis in common clinically-diagnosable outpatient dermatological diseases | |
Pavankumar Reddy | |
Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic predictability of dermoscopy compared to clinical diagnosis for common dermatological conditions encountered in outpatient settings. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 110 patients presenting with various outpatient dermatological conditions, including basal cell carcinoma, seborrheic keratosis, actinic keratosis, psoriasis, and eczema. Each patient underwent both a clinical examination and a dermoscopic evaluation. Diagnostic outcomes, including accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, were compared between clinical diagnosis alone and dermoscopy-assisted diagnosis. Results: Dermoscopy increased diagnostic accuracy from 74.5% (clinical diagnosis) to 87.3%. Sensitivity improved from 78% to 90%, and specificity rose from 70% to 85%. Condition-specific improvements were noted, with seborrheic keratosis accuracy increasing from 75% to 95% and basal cell carcinoma accuracy from 80% to 92%. Dermoscopy also reduced unnecessary biopsies by 20 cases and increased clinician confidence in 80% of cases with initially uncertain diagnoses. Conclusion: Dermoscopy significantly enhances diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in outpatient dermatology, reducing diagnostic ambiguity and unnecessary procedures. These findings support the integration of dermoscopy as a standard adjunct in routine dermatological assessments to improve diagnostic precision and patient care outcomes. |
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