Comparison of dermatoscopic diagnostic algorithms based on calculation: The ABCD rule of dermatoscopy, the seven-point checklist, the three-point checklist and the CASH algorithm in dermatoscopic evaluation of melanocytic lesions

Abstract

Dermatoscopic analysis of melanocytic lesions using the CASH algorithm has rarely been described in the literature. The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy rates of the ABCD rule of dermatoscopy, the seven-point checklist, the three-point checklist, and the CASH algorithm in the diagnosis and dermatoscopic evaluation of melanocytic lesions on the hairy skin. One hundred and fifteen melanocytic lesions of 115 patients were examined retrospectively using dermatoscopic images and compared with the histopathologic diagnosis. Four dermatoscopic algorithms were carried out for all lesions. The ABCD rule of dermatoscopy showed sensitivity of 91.6%, specificity of 60.4%, and diagnostic accuracy of 66.9%. The seven-point checklist showed sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of 87.5, 65.9, and 70.4%, respectively; the three-point checklist 79.1, 62.6, 66%; and the CASH algorithm 91.6, 64.8, and 70.4%, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study that compares the sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the ABCD rule of dermatoscopy, the three-point checklist, the seven-point checklist, and the CASH algorithm for the diagnosis of melanocytic lesions on the hairy skin. In our study, the ABCD rule of dermatoscopy and the CASH algorithm showed the highest sensitivity for the diagnosis of melanoma.

Keywords: ABCD rule of dermatoscopy; CASH algorithm; dermatoscopy; seven-point checklist; three-point checklist.