Conversations with Professor David Wilkinson - Total body photography

Welcome to this podcast series, Conversations with Professor David Wilkinson! In this episode, Prof David Wilkinson (Chief Medical Officer, National Skin Cancer Centres) speaks with Dr Scott Arnold (Skin Cancer Doctor, National Skin Cancer Centres) about the use of total body photography in primary care skin cancer medicine.

Dr Scott Arnold is a dedicated Skin Cancer Doctor with a lengthy background in general practice. He has practised exclusively in skin cancer medicine since 2008 and has worked at Gardens Skin Cancer Centre in Albury, NSW since 2017.

In the podcast, Dr Arnold speaks about how total body photography technology has become the "holy grail" of skin cancer care.

"To have something that can point me towards the [lesions] that really need my attention - that which is new or that which is growing or changing - is a dream."

Dr Arnold discusses some of the early challenges he faced when incorporating total body photography technology into his skin cancer practice, and some of the benefits it now brings to his day-to-day work.

Total body photography compares images of patients' skin over time and highlights tiny changes for further examination by the doctor, leading to earlier skin cancer diagnosis. The patient's entire skin surface still needs to be checked by the doctor - so the technology aids rather than replaces the doctor.

Total body photography is recommended for all high-risk patients, including those with multiple moles and those with a history of skin cancer.