The authority had used a previous version of the “Derm AI” technology to detect more than 20,000 cancer cases among more than 230,000 patients, but that version required a special lens installed on the phone. The new version, which recently received the highest level of medical device approval in Europe, does not require any additional equipment.
The technology was developed by the British company Skin Analytics, and was trained on thousands of images with known diagnoses. The program analyzes images of moles and skin lesions to detect patterns associated with skin cancer and other diseases, and definitively classifies benign lesions, while referring suspected cases to specialized clinical review.
Studies have shown that the program achieves an accuracy of 99.8% in detecting melanoma, which is the most aggressive type of skin cancer, affecting about 20,000 people annually and causing more than 2,300 deaths annually.
Most injuries result from exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun or tanning beds.
Last year, the United Kingdom recorded a record level of infection rates with the disease, with new diagnoses rising by about a third in one decade, while its most prominent symptoms are the appearance of a new mole or a change in the size or shape of an existing mole. It may appear anywhere on the body, but it is more common in areas exposed to the sun.
Dr. Alexandra Kemp, Consultant Dermatologist and Clinical Director of Skin Cancer at Amersham Hospital, confirmed that the use of “DERM” technology has made a huge difference in clinical capacity and efficiency of care, noting that early diagnosis contributes to improving patient outcomes.
Kemp stressed that making this technology available via smartphones opens the way for expanding access to diagnosis and early detection of the disease. (Sky News Arabia)
