Not All Polarised Dermatoscopes Show Critical Features

Whilst we all know the importance of polarised light in dermoscopy when diagnosing melanomas, findings shown in a paper by Whybrew et al shows that not all polarised light will show the same characteristics.

We asked Dr Christian Aldridge for his take on the findings:

Not all polarisation devices are created equally! The paper by Whybrew et al. illustrates the importance and significance of indubitable polarisation. Shiny white lines/structures can be critical in the diagnosis of Melanoma. The DermLite DL4 is clearly shown to demonstrate this important feature of Melanoma. Of greater relevance is the fact that many ‘screening’ and Teledermoscopy services rely on a single, polarised image for analysis. Having a Dermatoscope that can confidently highlight those shiny white lines and structures is fundamental to the safe analysis of pigmented lesions. You must make sure to choose your Dermatoscopic weapon wisely! 

You can read the full paper here.