A melanoma-finding machine
Posted Thursday, October 01, 2009
Melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer, affects thousands of Americans each year. But if caught early on, it is usually 100% curable. With MelaFind, a noninvasive hand-held device, your dermatologist may soon be able to more accurately detect and and diagnose melanoma.
MelaFind works by emitting 10 different wavelengths of light 2.5 millimeters below the skin's surface—much deeper than what the average eye can detect. Once the device picks up on a suspicious area, it compares it to a database of thousands of lesions (stored within the machine) and immediately assesses it, determining if a biopsy is needed.
MelaFind has not yet received FDA approval, but the clinical trials are very promising, showing accurate results and no adverse side effects. The device could be approved within the next six months, and at that time, we will know the cost of the examination.
Tags: cancer, device, FDA, light, MelaFind, melanoma, skin cancer