Invention:
This technology is a new type of microscope that allows for rapid diagnosis of skin lesions on a person’s body without the need for invasive procedures.
Background:
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Over 20% of all Americans will have skin cancer at some point in their life, and more than two people die of skin cancer in the US every hour. But with early detection, survival rates are high. As a result, the most important factor in fighting the prevalence of the disease is in identifying it early and correctly.
High resolution cross-sectional images of lesions including high cellular detail are desirable as a non-invasive alternative to skin biopsies and histology. The VIVASCOPE 3000 is the only commercially available handheld confocal microscope able to image 0.75 mm x 0.75 mm areas to a depth of 250 mm with resolution on the order of 1–5 mm. The VIVASCOPE is a point-scanning system so each lesion requires 5-10 minutes to create images.
This technology further advances noninvasive skin microscopy techniques, providing a solution that increases diagnostic accuracy and reduces time to diagnose. It can be used on its own or in conjunction with other state of the art non-invasive skin microscopy technology.
Applications:
- Diagnosis of skin disease
Advantages:
- Inexpensive
- High resolution
- Easy to use – reduces training time
- Non-invasive
- Improves diagnosis accuracy and time
