Emergency Use and Efficacy of an Asynchronous Teledermatology System as a Novel Tool for Early Diagnosis of Skin Cancer during the First Wave of Covid-19 Pandemic

Bibliographic Data

ID15489609
AuthorsAntal Jobbágy (Semmelweis University), Norbert Kiss (0000-0002-9947-1755, Semmelweis University), Fanni Adél Meznerics (0000-0002-4861-6838, Semmelweis University), Klára Farkas (0000-0002-8185-1346, Semmelweis University), Dóra Plázár (0000-0001-9301-6703, Semmelweis University), Szabolcs Bozsányi (0000-0002-1391-419X, Semmelweis University), Luca Fésűs (0000-0003-2196-3896, Semmelweis University), Áron Bartha (0000-0003-0395-243X, Semmelweis University), Endre Szabó (0000-0002-8219-2653, Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics), Kende Lőrincz (0000-0002-1861-1008, Semmelweis University), Miklós Sárdy (0000-0003-4306-5093, Semmelweis University), Norbert Wikonkál (0000-0003-4949-8711, Semmelweis University), Norbert Miklós Wikonkál (Semmelweis University), Péter Szoldán (0000-0002-3808-8541, MedInnoScan Research and Development Ltd., 1112 Budapest, Hungary), András Bánvölgyi (0000-0002-7071-1364, Semmelweis University, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume19
Issue5
Pages2699-2699
Publication date2022-02-25
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph19052699
PMID35270391
OpenAlexW4214638307
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited53

Background: After the outbreak of the corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, teledermatology was implemented in the Hungarian public healthcare system for the first time. Our objective was to assess aggregated diagnostic agreements and to determine the effectiveness of an asynchronous teledermatology system for skin cancer screening. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included cases submitted for teledermatology consultation during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Follow-up of the patients was performed to collect the results of any subsequent personal examination. Results: 749 patients with 779 lesions were involved. 15 malignant melanomas (9.9%), 78 basal cell carcinomas (51.3%), 21 squamous cell carcinomas (13.8%), 7 other malignancies (4.6%) and 31 actinic keratoses (20.4%) were confirmed. 87 malignancies were diagnosed in the high-urgency group (42.2%), 49 malignancies in the moderate-urgency group (21.6%) and 16 malignancies in the low-urgency group (4.6%) (p < 0.0001). Agreement of malignancies was substantial for primary (86.3%; κ = 0.647) and aggregated diagnoses (85.3%; κ = 0.644). Agreement of total lesions was also substantial for primary (81.2%; κ = 0.769) and aggregated diagnoses (87.9%; κ = 0.754). Conclusions: Our findings showed that asynchronous teledermatology using a mobile phone application served as an accurate skin cancer screening system during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Basal cell · Basal cell carcinoma · Cancer · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Disease · Health care · Medical diagnosis · Pandemic · Radiology · Retrospective cohort study · Skin cancer · Teledermatology · Telemedicine · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · Cutaneous Melanoma Detection and Management · Medicine · Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Studies · Dermatology · Emergency Medicine · Internal Medicine

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