Intel Skin-Cancer ID System Boosts Dermoscopy

Intel has developed a system intended to make identifying possible cases of skin cancer more straightforward.  Based on dermoscopy, a non-invasive method of differentiating between benign and malignant melanoma, the Intel system cross-matches images of skin lesions with others based on the similarity of case.

This is at odds to the current systems, which use simple tagging or metadata to provide comparative images.  Intel's researchers believe that doctors will be able to make more informed decisions having seen more similar cases, pulled from large medical image databases.

Until now, doctors have generally had to base their decision on personal expertise and textbook literature.  No word on when the system could see a roll-out to medical professionals for real-world screening, but with skin cancer the most common form in the US, but only 20 to 25-percent of US dermatologists currently using dermoscopy, the sooner the better.