For pigmented skin lesions (PSLs), biopsy decisions made with electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) have increased sensitivity for melanomas/severely dysplastic nevi, according to a study published in the May issue of SKIN .

Shayan Owji, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and colleagues conducted a pilot study to examine the effect of EIS on clinical decisions for PSLs compared to traditional dermoscopy. Dermatologists, dermatology residents, and medical students completed an online survey providing their biopsy decisions for 24 PSLs: Half were presented as a clinical image with an associated dermoscopic image and half were presented as a clinical image with the corresponding EIS score.

The researchers found that for melanomas/severely dysplastic nevi, decisions made with EIS had a mean sensitivity of 75 percent compared with 66 percent for decisions made with dermoscopy. Dermatologists biopsied with similar sensitivities when using EIS or dermoscopy (both 81 percent), while for residents and medical students, greater sensitivity in biopsies was seen when using EIS. The greatest improvement in sensitivity and specificity when using EIS versus dermoscopy was seen for respondents who reported rarely using dermoscopy.

"Given that not all providers are trained in dermoscopy, and our finding that EIS particularly benefits those who infrequently use dermoscopy, EIS may complement dermoscopy by helping a broader range of providers make improved PSL diagnostic decisions," the authors write. "This will ultimately improve patient care and reduce the morbidity and mortality of a melanoma diagnosis."

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