Diagnostic Value of Telecytology in Tertiary Teledermatological Consultation: A Retrospective Analysis of 75 Cases

Abstract

Background The addition of dermatoscopic images to clinical images is reported to increase the diagnostic value of teledermatology. No study has investigated the contribution of telecytology to teledermatology. We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of telecytology in tertiary teledermatological evaluation.

Methods The study included 75 patients for whom no diagnosis could be established at face-to-face clinical examinations and cytological evaluations, who therefore consulted with a dermatologist experienced in cytology through the store-and-forward method. Telecytological diagnosis was then compared with the final diagnosis, and diagnostic accuracy was calculated.

Results In the past 2 years, 75 patients (38 [50.7%] female, 37 [49.3%] male) were evaluated by telecytology. According to definitive diagnoses, 31 patients (41.3%) had erosive-vesiculobullous, 25 (33.3%) had tumoral, and 19 (15.8%) had granulomatous disease. Diagnostic accuracy of telecytology was 90.7%.

Limitations Our study was a retrospective study, and cytological images were evaluated by one dermatologist only; therefore, no reliability analysis could be performed.

Conclusion This study revealed that the cytological images should be used in tertiary teledermatological evaluation. Further studies should therefore be carried out to investigate the diagnostic value of different telecytological methods.