Background: Effective Mohs surgery depends on accurate histopathological identification and mapping of tumor burden to ensure complete removal of tumor.
Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether using a photograph of the histopathological slide as the Mohs map improves mapping accuracy.
Materials and methods: Single-blinded pilot study. Five dermatology residents at one academic institution mapped 11 cases of basal cell carcinoma using both traditional hand-drawn maps and color photographic maps. Residents' marked maps were assessed for global diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity compared with the Mohs map verified by the attending surgeon on the day of surgery.
Results: Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were higher using the photographic Mohs maps compared with using the traditional hand-drawn maps (58.2% vs 29.1%, 84.5% vs 76.4%, and 87.1% vs 70.8%, respectively). These results were statistically significant for accuracy and specificity, but not for sensitivity.
Conclusion: Using histopathological photographs as the Mohs map significantly improved accuracy and specificity within a small group of residents with limited Mohs experience. More research is warranted to evaluate whether using histopathological photographs improves accuracy of Mohs mapping for experienced Mohs surgeons in a real-world setting, and whether this translates to improved clinical outcomes.