Frequency of Publication of Dermoscopic Images in Inter-observer Studies: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Research interest in dermoscopy is increasing, but the complete dermoscopic image sets used in inter-observer studies of skin tumours are not often shared in research publications. The aim of this systematic review was to analyse what proportion of images depicting skin tumours are published in studies investigating inter-observer variations in the assessment of dermoscopic features and/or patterns. Embase, MEDLINE and Scopus databases were screened for eligible studies published from inception to 2 July 2020. For included studies the proportion of lesion images presented in the papers and/or supplements was extracted. A total of 61 studies (53 original studies and 8 shorter reports (i.e. research letters or concise reports)). published in the period 1997 to 2020 were included. These studies combined included 14,124 skin tumours, of which 373 (3%) images were published. This systematic review highlights that the vast majority of images included in dermoscopy research are not published. Data sharing should be a requirement for future studies, and must be enabled and standardized by the dermatology research community and editorial offices.

Fig. 1

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) diagram (5).

Fig. 2

Proportion of shared images among the 61 included studies. The studies are placed on the timeline when they were first accepted or made available online.