SPECTROSCOPIC SYSTEM FOR DERMATOLOGICAL LESION DIAGNOSIS

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO MAKE AVAILABLE AN INNOVATIVE NEW TECHNOLGY FOR CHARACTERIZING PIGMENTED LESIONS AND OTHER POTENTIALLY DAMAGED AREAS OF THE SKIN WHICH MAY BE CANCEROUS OR PRE-CANCEROUS. THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE A NEW RESEARCH AND CLINICAL TEHNIQUE WHICH CAN LEAD TO EARLY DETECTION OF POTENTIALLY MALIGNANT LESIONS SO THAT THE PATIENT CAN BENEFIT FROM EARLY TREATMENT. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT SINCE THESE DERMATOLOGICAL LESIONS GENERALLY RESPOND VERY FAVORABLE TO EARLY TREATMENT. THE METHODOLOGY INVOLVES DEVELOPEMENT OF A VERSATILE, TWO-DIMENSIONAL SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGER WHICH CAN BE USED TO MODIFY OUR PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED DERMATOLOGICAL VIDEO COMPARATOR. THIS SYSTEM WILL ALLOW QUICK AND EASY ACQUISITION OF OTHERWISE INACCESSIBLE SPECTROGRAPHIC IMAGES OF THE SUSPECT LESIONS. THESE SPECTRAL WILL EVENTUALLY BE AUTOMATICALLY CHARACTERIZED BY A HOST MICROCOMPUTER. THE PROJECT IS FEASIBLE AND LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS MUCH OF IT IS BASED ON A SYNTHESIS OF TECHNOLOGIES WHICH HAVE PROVEN PRACTICAL AND VIABLE IN OTHER APPLICATIONS.