The value of (video)dermoscopy in the diagnosis and monitoring of common inflammatory skin diseases: a systematic review.

Clinical diagnosis of inflammatory skin disorders (ISD), including hair and nail disorders, is not always straightforward. Not uncommonly, a punch biopsy may be required. Dermoscopy and videodermoscopy (VD) are non-invasive techniques that are used for in vivo examination of the skin, hair, and nails. Both techniques can contribute to determining the accurate diagnosis of common ISD and can be useful for assessing treatment effects. However, the value of VD over conventional dermoscopy for ISD is undetermined. We systematically searched and reviewed the current published literature on ISD evaluated by VD and dermoscopy in the electronic databases, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. All studies were assessed for quality using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology and Cochrane checklist. Finally, 82 studies were eligible for inclusion. An overview is presented of the (video)dermoscopic features for common ISD diagnoses, with details regarding the level of accuracy and features that should be monitored during treatment. Although both techniques are promising, studies of high methodological quality are necessary to determine the value of VD over conventional dermoscopy for common ISD.