Enhance early detection of melanoma with liquid lenses
Source: Laser Focus World, August 2024
Melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, poses a significant global health concern. Early detection is crucial for successful treatment, but it remains challenging due to the complexity of skin lesions and limitations of imaging technologies. Fortunately, advancements in optics and imaging are revolutionizing melanoma detection.
Within the context of melanoma detection, optics focuses on the development and refinement of tools and technologies that manipulate light for better visualization of skin lesions. It can include:
Dermatoscopes. Handheld devices that use polarized light to enhance visualization of skin structures.
Laser-based systems. Tools that use specific wavelengths of light to analyze skin tissue properties.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT). A noninvasive imaging technique that uses light waves to take cross-sectional pictures of skin layers to help evaluate lesion depth and structure.
Imaging involves capturing detailed images of skin lesions and using various techniques to enhance, analyze, and interpret these images for diagnostic purposes. This includes:
Digital dermoscopy. High-resolution digital images of skin lesions are taken with a dermatoscope, which can be analyzed over time for changes.