Mole monitoring system

• US 20030098580A1
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Melanie Ann Christy
• Original Assignee: Melanie Ann Christy
• Inventors: Christy, Melanie Ann
• Granted Patent: US 6,692,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 283/115
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/90 Medical record

Abstract

The present invention is a nontechnical, nonmechanical, easy to use, healthcare product that allows any individual to monitor changes in moles, freckles, or other skin growths in the comfort of their own home. It doubles as a record-keeping system that allows a person to compare new measures to their previously recorded measures—notice a change has occurred—and make a potentially life-saving appointment with a dermatologist. By using the flexible transparent sheets and a numeric value system, the product identifies changes in size, shape, color, “geography” of the mole and if any bleeding has occurred; all of which are important features in the development of skin cancer or melanoma. This product does not diagnose or treat a disease, but most importantly it provides people with a means of discovering a potential problem that normally would be undetected by the naked eye. This product has the potential to decrease medical care costs, reduce human suffering, and save lives.

Claims

1. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system comprising a flexible sheet, the flexible sheet comprising:

a first section having multiple regions for date entries;

a second section having a transparent region that is delineated by borders into subregions, each subregion being aligned with a corresponding one of the multiple regions for date entries, each of the subregions being adapted to receive a permanent marking to trace an outline of a pigmented skin lesion;

an alphanumeric key associating an appearance characteristic of a pigmented skin lesion to a code; and

a third section comprising multiple regions for entries by which the appearance of a pigmented skin lesion is recorded with one or more codes from the alphanumeric key, each of the multiple entry regions being aligned with a corresponding one of the multiple regions for date entries and a corresponding one of the subregions of the transparent region.

2. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein substantially the entire flexible sheet is transparent.

3. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the second section of the flexible sheet is between the first and second sections.

4. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the alphanumeric key comprises codes associated with the color of a pigmented skin lesion.

5. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the alphanumeric key comprises codes associated with the geography of a pigmented skin lesion.

6. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the alphanumeric key comprises a code associated with whether a pigmented skin lesion has bled.

7. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising a receptacle for containing a plurality sheets substantially identical to the flexible sheet.

8. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the flexible sheet further comprises a fourth section having a region for recording a location of a pigmented skin lesion.

9. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising a permanent marker capable of making permanent markings on the transparent region of the flexible sheet.

10. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein each of the subregions of the transparent region has a size sufficient to trace a pigmented skin lesion.

11. A pigmented skin lesion monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and third sections are arranged in columns on the flexible sheet.

12. A method of monitoring pigmented skin lesions, the method comprising the steps of:

entering a date in one of multiple regions within a first section of a flexible sheet;

tracing an outline of a pigmented skin lesion in one of a plurality of subregions within a transparent region of a second section of the flexible sheet, each subregion being aligned with a corresponding one of the multiple regions of the first section; and

using an alphanumeric key associating an appearance characteristic of a pigmented skin lesion to a code, entering at least one code associated with the appearance of the pigmented skin lesion on one of a plurality of regions within a third section of the flexible sheet.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein at least one code is entered indicating the color of the pigmented skin lesion.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein at least one code is entered indicating the geography of the pigmented skin lesion.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein at least one code is entered indicating whether the pigmented skin lesion has bled.

16. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of using a second flexible sheet to trace and enter appearance characteristics of a second pigmented skin lesion.

17. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of recording the location of the pigmented skin lesion on a fourth section of the flexible sheet.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein a permanent marker is used to enter the date, trace the outline, and enter the at least one code.

19. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of tracing the outline and entering at least one code for the pigmented skin lesion after a time has lapsed in which the outline and/or the appearance characteristics of the pigmented skin lesion have changed.

20. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of delivering the flexible sheet to medical personnel.