Cancer Diagnostic Goes Skin Deep

The average adult human has between 16 and 22 square feet of skin. This multifaceted organ serves a multitude of functions: from protecting our bodies against invaders and regulating body temperature to detecting sensations. Skin is particularly susceptible to developing cancer as a result of exposure to environmental carcinogens, such as ultraviolet radiation.

Identifying the signs of possible cancerous lesions on the surface of the skin is a particularly challenging task for dermatologists. In many cases, it can be difficult to distinguish a harmless mole from a dangerous melanoma. As a result, even highly skilled physicians with years of experience rely on invasive skin biopsies as part of their diagnostic procedures.

An imaging breakthrough, developed by bioelectromagnetics experts at the Stevens Institute of Technology, has the potential to allow dermatologists to rapidly and accurately catch skin cancer early without the need for invasive procedures. This work was published in IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging,

In the U.S., almost 10,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer daily, with more than two dying of the disease every hour. This project, spearheaded by Principle Investigator Negar Tavassolian, together with their postdoctoral fellow Amir Mirbeik-Sabzevari, has the potential of revolutionizing skin cancer diagnostics…