High-magnification universal serial bus dermoscopy: A convenient alternative to direct microscopic examination

Direct microscopic examination of 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) mounts of skin and hair for diagnosing dermatophytosis warrants a light microscope with high-power field magnification ( ×400). However, the cost, bulk, maintenance, and limited utility of the microscope render the device impractical in a busy contemporary skin clinic. Although pocket dermatoscopes, like the DL4, enable in vivo diagnostic differentiation between tinea capitis and alopecia areata,1 diagnostic confirm ation by demonstration of fungal elements by conventional microscopy might be required; visualization of these elements are infeasible with the dermatoscope's limited 2-dimensional magnification (×10).

Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology - September 9, 2019 Category: Dermatology Authors: Sidharth Sonthalia, Sambit Nath Bhattacharya, Mahima Agrawal, Shukla Das Tags: JAAD Online: Technology pearl Source Type: research