Sackler lab produces automatic, non-invasive melanoma test
The test relies on a collection of special optical fibers that are transparent in infrared light. One end of the fibers is connected to a device that evaluates the 'colors' in the infrared.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: APRIL 18, 2021 18:38Prof. Katzir using the technology on a patient. (photo credit: TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY)Melanoma has always been diagnosed through an initial analysis followed by a biopsy. Now, thanks to a test developed by an Israeli research team, doctors will be able to diagnose patients quickly and in an automatic, non-invasive way, potentially saving their lives.The test was developed by a team led by Prof. Abraham Katzir, from the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences at Tel Aviv University (TAU), and was published in the journal Medical Physics back in September."The idea that guided us in developing the technology was that in the visible range, there are various substances, having various colors, which are not characteristic of each substance," explained Katzir. "On the other hand, in the infrared region, various substances have different ‘colors’ of a sort, depending on the chemical makeup of each substance."The way the test works is that it relies on a collection of special optical fibers that are transparent in infrared light. One end of the fibers is connected to a device that evaluates the 'colors' in the infrared, a press release explained.Then, the other end is touched to the patient's skin with the lesion."Therefore, we figured that with the help of devices that can identify these ’colors,’ healthy skin and each of the benign and malignant lesions would have different ’colors’ which would enable us to identify melanoma."The difference between lethal and less-lethal melanoma is one millimeter in size. When a lesion is less than one-millimeter thick it is considered superficial and in the early stages from which the patient can safely recover if it is removed.However, if it is discovered at a later stage, when it is thicker than one millimeter, it becomes life-threatening, and the chances of recovery drop significantly.The new technology was tested on 100 patients.Melanoma is considered the deadliest of the three most common skin cancers, the study explains.Ordinarily, a bit of skin is carefully observed through a magnifying glass, known as a Dermascope. It is then surgically removed (biopsy) and sent to a pathologist for confirmation on whether it is melanoma.The test analyzes lesions of skin before they get biopsied, and the study showed that they were accurate in their diagnosis, because they were biopsied after the initial diagnosis and sent for pathology for confirmation.Immediate diagnosis can be life-saving, said Katzir.The innovative system will enable every dermatologist to determine the character of a suspicious lesion automatically, and particularly if it is melanoma," added Katzir. "This system has the potential to cause a dramatic change in the field of diagnosing and treating skin cancer."
