Reference device for prognosing skin lesions

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS The reference device of the present invention is adapted for use in indicating prognosis of a physical condition based upon selected diagnostic characteristics thereof.
More specifically, the reference device is usable for prognosing melanoma based upon selected diagnostic characteristics of a patient's skin lesion.
It is known in the medical community that skin lesions posses certain appearance characteristics and that a determinable risk that the skin lesion is melanoma, or cancerous may be prognosed based on these characteristics.
The present invention, therefore, provides a ready reference guide which may be used either by a patient or the patient's doctor to easily and quickly ascertain a probable prognosis as to whether the skin lesion is benign or malignant.
As the description of the exemplary embodiments proceeds, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that although the reference device of the present invention is particularly described herein as a gauge for prognosing such skin lesions, it is contemplated that the prognosis of other physical conditions are also contemplated without departing from the inventive concepts herein.
As generally introduced in FIGS.
1-3, a first exemplary embodiment of a reference device 10 of the present invention includes a first, or top, panel member 20 in the form of a dial and a second, or bottom, panel member 50 also in the form of a dial.
First panel member 20 and second panel member 50 are fabricated from a stiff yet resilient material, such as plastic or paper, and are mounted for relative movement for ascertaining the prognosis of a physical condition, as described more thoroughly below.
As specifically shown in FIG.
1, reference device 10 is sized and adapted to be grasped by a user's hands 12 so that the first and second panel members 20, 50 may be easily manipulated during use.
First panel member 20 is constructed as a circular dial and includes a plurality of first selected diagnostic characteristics of the physical condition, d