A new dermoscopic feature, irregular hyperpigmented areas, may be the most potent dermoscopic indicator of melanoma in situ (MIS), even when compared with atypical nevi.

This feature is one of five indicators of MIS found in a multicenter study of patients with histopathologically diagnosed MIS or other skin tumors. The study appears in JAMA Dermatology.

Investigators led by Aimilios Lallas, Ph.D., from Aristotle University in Greece, assessed the accuracy of known melanoma criteria to diagnose MIS compared with benign pigmented lesions in 1,285 index lesions from 1,285 patients.