Researchers Develop Handheld Device To Painlessly Detect Skin Cancers

Aug, 2022 - By WMR

The new proof-of-concept device was proved to be promising tool for detecting skin cancer non-invasively as it detected cancerous tissues with 97% accuracy

In current methods of diagnosing skin cancer dermatologists use visual inspection with the help of a dermatoscope and when these dermatologists suspect cancer they, order biopsy of the tissue. Now a group of researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology developed a new handheld device to detect skin cancers non-invasively. The preliminary tests of this proof-of concept device detected cancerous tissues with 97% accuracy. Now the team continues the study in search of ways to shrink the size and cost of this new handheld device.

The researchers created this new device using technology known as high-resolution millimeter-wave imaging. This technology is same as the scanning systems utilized in security devices used for imaging whole body at airports. In previous study, the researchers demonstrated that this high-resolution millimeter-wave imaging technology detects cancerous tissues effectively where the imaging device differently reflected waves back from skin when it faces cancerous tissue. In this new study, the researchers demonstrated the ability of this system to distinguish between healthy and cancerous tissues in human subjects. The team recruited 72 subjects with 136 suspicious skin lesions and assessed them with the new device and also performed biopsy of the lesions. According to the scientists, the new device offered results only in 20 seconds with 98% specificity and 97% sensitivity.

As reported by the scientists, the new handheld device is the first ever device to use high-tech imaging technology to automatically detect skin cancers. Other imaging tools are expensive, big and need skilled professionals. However, now the researchers are working on engineering this new device into small and inexpensive handheld device requires any special training and can be used by dermatologists as part of direct clinical checkups.