Teledermatology leading to an important diagnosis in an underserved clinic

Abstract

Cutaneous signs can be the first manifestation of important medical diagnoses, including inherited cancer syndromes, but access to dermatologic evaluation is especially challenging for uninsured patients. Herein, we present a case in which a volunteer academic teledermatology triage program was used by a community health clinic to make a diagnosis of multiple cutaneous leiomyomas, which confer a high likelihood of hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome, also known as Reed syndrome; this prompted malignancy screening for the patient. Importantly, this case underscores the potential for teledermatology to improve access to dermatologist evaluation and make crucial diagnoses in patients with barriers to care.