Invention:
A rise in melanoma cases across the world and a decline in the number of dermatological specialists characterizes the outlook of global professional skin care. General practitioners can look for clues before referring patients to a specialist; and, if they have the tools, they can take high-quality diagnostic tests for further specialist monitoring. However, specialized equipment is expensive and unrealistic for family practices to carry.
This invention is a low-cost, high-quality solution to the general problem. It allows general practitioners to analyze questionable skin areas to check for abnormalities, discoloration, lack of cell-uniformity, etc. Furthermore, the accessibility of the technology could expand to encompass the general public. This technology is an inexpensive, effective dermascope attachment to the smartphone that allows the user to map out dermal lesions using polarized white light imaging (PWLI) and polarized multispectral imaging (PMSI). Increasing both accuracy and accessibility will increase the number of early diagnoses and decrease the number of people who die from skin cancer every year.
Background:
In the United States, between 17,000 and 18,000 people die from skin cancer every year and over 64,000 in the world. Early detection is a key contributor to the 5-year survival rate in individuals diagnosed with skin cancer. Because early-detection can make all the difference, companies have been trying to educate the public about the dangers of skin cancer, and make early-detection as easy as possible.
Several phone apps allow individuals to send pictures to specialists to analyze. However, the information is often not enough for a diagnosis. In addition, there are many people in the United States and around the world who don’t have access to a specialist. General practitioners would be more successful at diagnosing malignant forms of cancer with the right tools. Unfortunately, the right tools are often too expensive and unrealistic for a local clinic to have on-hand.
This invention changes the way professionals collect information on suspicious areas. Pew research found that 81% of Americans have smartphones and that number is increasing rapidly. So, while it is unrealistic to expect general practitioners to have specialized skin cancer screening equipment, it would be realistic to expect most people to have smart phones. There are many health screening apps and this dermascope attachment to any cell phone would vastly improve the data sent to doctors from patients around the world.
Applications:
- Mobile dermascope
- Early skin cancer detection
Advantages:
- Patient and general practitioner usability
Status: issued U.S. patent #12,376,786
