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Accuracy in the Clinical Diagnosis and Pattern of Malignant Melanoma at a Dermatological Clinic
Author(s) -
Lindelöf Bernt,
Hedblad MariAnne
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1346-8138.1994.tb01775.x
Subject(s) - medicine , melanoma , dermatology , melanoma diagnosis , dermatological diseases , clinical diagnosis , diagnostic accuracy , radiology , pediatrics , cancer research
The diagnostic pattern of malignant melanoma and clinical suspicion rate has been investigated at a dermatological university clinic. Of 174 histologically proven malignant melanomas, 60 (34%) were not clinically suspected as melanomas. The accuracy of clinical diagnosis increased with level of experience. Physicians with <1 year experience in dermatology were able to detect malignant melanoma as the first diagnosis in 31% of the cases in contrast to 63% for those with >10 years experience. Of 50 patients immediately referred from the dermatologic clinic to surgery departments, 12 did not have melanoma.