US approves innovative AI-enabled device for early diagnosis of skin cancer

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing authorisation for DermaSensor, a handheld medical device with artificial intelligence that helps doctors diagnose various forms of skin cancer at an early stage.

Here's What We Know

The device looks like a smartphone with a pointed tip that illuminates suspicious areas of skin and analyses the reflected optical signal. Inbuilt software based on machine learning algorithms detects differences in the reflective properties of cancerous and healthy cells.

Within seconds, the device makes a recommendation to the doctor about the need for further examination or monitoring of the patient. The device does not confirm whether a patient has skin cancer: diagnosis is left to medical professionals.

According to clinical trials in 22 medical centres, the DermaSensor has a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 97%. A study involving 108 doctors showed that using the gadget can halve the proportion of undetected skin cancer cases.

The licence received from the FDA paves the way for the device to be promoted across the US. It is estimated that one in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. The new product is designed to equip primary care physicians with an effective screening tool for the most common type of cancer.

Access to the technology is available on a subscription basis: $199 per month for up to five patients or $399 for an unlimited number of scans.

Source: The Register