Digital teledermatology for skin tumours: A preliminary assessment using a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis

A low-cost store-and-forward teledermatology system using digital images for the remote diagnosis and management of skin tumours was evaluated. Two hospitals participated in the trial. Patients were seen face to face at one hospital, and had their images and clinical history viewed remotely by a different dermatologist at a second hospital. A preliminary receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis revealed clinical agreement between the teledermatologist and face-to-face dermatologist in 93% of cases in terms of their assessment of the benign/malignant nature of the lesions. Sensitivity of the judgements was 88% and specificity was 80%. These preliminary findings indicate the potential for remote management of skin tumours using a low-cost system in the National Health Service.