The Impact of Quantitative Data Provided by a Multi-spectral Digital Skin Lesion Analysis Device on Dermatologists'Decisions to Biopsy Pigmented Lesions.

Early diagnosis of melanoma is critical to survival. New technologies, such as a multi-spectral digital skin lesion analysis (MSDSLA) device [MelaFind, STRATA Skin Sciences, Horsham, Pennsylvania] may be useful to enhance clinician evaluation of concerning pigmented skin lesions. Previous studies evaluated the effect of only the binary output. The objective of this study was to determine how decisions dermatologists make regarding pigmented lesion biopsies are impacted by providing both the underlying classifier score (CS) and associated probability risk provided by multi-spectral digital skin lesion analysis. This outcome was also compared against the improvement reported with the provision of only the binary output. Dermatologists attending an educational conference evaluated 50 pigmented lesions (25 melanomas and 25 benign lesions). Participants were asked if they would biopsy the lesion based on clinical images, and were asked this question again after being shown multi-spectral digital skin lesion analysis data that included the probability graphs and classifier score. Data were analyzed from a total of 160 United States board-certified dermatologists. Biopsy sensitivity for melanoma improved from 76 percent following clinical evaluation to 92 percent after quantitative multi-spectral digital skin lesion analysis information was provided (<0.0001). Specificity improved from 52 percent to 79 percent (<0.0001). The positive predictive value increased from 61 percent to 81 percent (<0.01) when the quantitative data were provided. Negative predictive value also increased (68% vs. 91%, p<0.01), and overall biopsy accuracy was greater with multi-spectral digital skin lesion analysis (64% vs. 86%, <0.001). Interrater reliability improved (intraclass correlation 0.466 before, 0.559 after). Incorporating the classifier score and probability data into physician evaluation of pigmented lesions led to both increased sensitivity and specificity, thereby resulting in more accurate biopsy decisions.