Demonstration of "Blink Comparison" Method for Finding New or Changing Moles

How to Make Body Photographs?

Photographs can be easily produced in the comfort and privacy of your own home using a digital camera. The digital camera should have a pixel resolution of at least 1.8 megapixels (preferably 2-3 megapixels) and an LCD viewfinder.Two types of images will be used: 1) baseline images and 2) follow-up or current images. The baseline images should be obtained so that all regions of the body that you want to screen are exposed. A photographic protocol describing recommended poses is provided in the documentation. The guiding principle, however, is that you must choose poses that you can easily reproduce in the future. The baseline images should be obtained against a bland background (without any blue objects in it). The baseline images should also be viewed to make sure that the lighting is even and the image is sharp. It is important to get as good as quality images as possible for the baseline images since all future images should be compared against the original image set.

The current images are obtained using the same protocol as the baseline images. However, to help match the current images to the original baseline images you should use the DermAlert® software to print a clear template of the baseline images. This template will have an outline view of the baseline images. The small outlines are placed over the LCD viewer of the digital camera while taking the current images. Adjust the camera distance so that the current image view just fits the outline of the baseline. You can have the subject adjust arm and leg positions to match the original baseline outline. In this way you can then take follow-up images that match the original baseline images very closely.

Lighting is important and it is recommended that you arrange two lamps so that one is on each side of you. The camera flash will help to fill in the lighting of the body.
Stand in a prescribed position (described in the imaging protocol), so that you can easily reproduce the same position when you do your follow-up photos at a later date.
Using the DermAlert® software you will then be able to analyze the image pairs to help in determining if there are new or changing moles.