Mobile telemedicine integrates wireless communications for different telemedical applications,
such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants, and with the implementation of modern
wireless telecommunication, wireless local area network and satellite communication is a
reality. New generation cellular phones or personal digital assistants have overcome limitations
of image quality seen in older devices and, with dermatology being a visual profession, mobile
teledermatology is perhaps the most recent development in this field. Mobile teledermatology
may provide a triage service aimed toward management of patients with emergent skin disease
or for follow-up with patients requiring systemic treatment. Teledermoscopy enables rapid
transmission of dermoscopic images via e-mail or specific web-application and studies have
demonstrated a high, 91%, concordance between face-to-face diagnosis and remote diagnosis
of such images. Further to this, telediagnosis of melanocytic skin neoplasms achieved a
diagnostic accuracy of 83% versus the conventional histopathologic diagnosis. Mobile teledermoscopy
is the combination of such approaches enabling transfer of images captured with
cellular phones coupled with a pocket dermatoscope and preliminary studies have demonstrated
the feasibility and potential of its use in triage of pigmented lesions. Such applications
are of benefit to physicians in enabling easy storage of data for follow-up or referral of images
for expert second opinion and may facilitate a “person-centered health system” for patients
with numerous moles and pigmented skin lesions who could forward images for evaluation. The
incidence of skin cancers has reached epidemic proportions among whites and the trend is still
going upward. Mobile teledermatology and teledermoscopy may be implemented as a triage or
screening tool for malignant tumors to facilitate early detection and diagnosis, which is crucial
for improved patient outcomes. While the legal aspects concerning teleconsultations need to
be evaluated, the communications technologies provide a unique opportunity for physicians
and patients alike and we foresee a place for these tools in dermatology soon.
Semin Cutan Med Surg 28:203-205 © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mobile telemedicine integrates wireless communications for different telemedical applications,
such as mobile phones and personal digital assistants, and with the implementation of modern
wireless telecommunication, wireless local area network and satellite communication is a
reality. New generation cellular phones or personal digital assistants have overcome limitations
of image quality seen in older devices and, with dermatology being a visual profession, mobile
teledermatology is perhaps the most recent development in this field. Mobile teledermatology
may provide a triage service aimed toward management of patients with emergent skin disease
or for follow-up with patients requiring systemic treatment. Teledermoscopy enables rapid
transmission of dermoscopic images via e-mail or specific web-application and studies have
demonstrated a high, 91%, concordance between face-to-face diagnosis and remote diagnosis
of such images. Further to this, telediagnosis of melanocytic skin neoplasms achieved a
diagnostic accuracy of 83% versus the conventional histopathologic diagnosis. Mobile teledermoscopy
is the combination of such approaches enabling transfer of images captured with
cellular phones coupled with a pocket dermatoscope and preliminary studies have demonstrated
the feasibility and potential of its use in triage of pigmented lesions. Such applications
are of benefit to physicians in enabling easy storage of data for follow-up or referral of images
for expert second opinion and may facilitate a “person-centered health system” for patients
with numerous moles and pigmented skin lesions who could forward images for evaluation. The
incidence of skin cancers has reached epidemic proportions among whites and the trend is still
going upward. Mobile teledermatology and teledermoscopy may be implemented as a triage or
screening tool for malignant tumors to facilitate early detection and diagnosis, which is crucial
for improved patient outcomes. While the legal aspects concerning teleconsultations need to
be evaluated, the communications technologies provide a unique opportunity for physicians
and patients alike and we foresee a place for these tools in dermatology soon.
Semin Cutan Med Surg 28:203-205 © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.