clinical photography in the dermatology practice文档.pdfVIP

Clinical Photography in the Dermatology Practice William K. Witmer, BS,* and Peter J. Lebovitz, BS, MBA† Photography has been accepted for decades as a standard means for documenting der- matologic conditions and as an adjunct to their treatment, in both medical practice and research. The emergence of low-cost easy-to-use digital imaging systems has made good-quality photography more accessible to practitioners, while providing improved func- tionality in the clinical environment. Primary concerns are controlling lighting and posi- tioning to provide a clear record of the patients skin condition and maintaining consistency over time to assure meaningful comparison of clinical end points. Semin Cutan Med Surg 31:191-199 © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. KEYWORDS clinical photography, clinical imaging, whole body integumentary photography, body map, serial photography Clinical Photography Overview over time, or at specific end points, provide a medical record that could not be acquired in any other way. This enables A particular characteristic of dermatology is that the patient’s clear communications with patients regarding their progress condition, and the result of any treatment, is typically appar- and provides practitioners with permanent documentation of ent to any observer. It is the visual nature of these conditions the efficacy of their treatments. that makes photography so useful in the dermatology prac- tice. For decades, photography has been accepted as the stan- Mo