Diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions aided by epiluminescence microscopy.

Early diagnosis of superficial melanoma (Clark Level I, II) remains the best approach to reduce the death rate from this malignant neoplasm. Today's well-informed patients understand the need to have changing moles evaluated. However, many benign pigmented lesions that undergo changes in appearance do not require excision. Epiluminescence microscopy can facilitate the differential diagnosis of cutaneous pigmented lesions and help determine which of these require biopsy.