This Device Could Save Your Life

A new handheld cancer-detection device could help identify potentially cancerous growths, possibly slashing the number of misidentifications in half, thanks to technology pioneered by a College of Engineering researcher.

Spotting signs of skin cancer too late may spell serious trouble, but primary care physicians can struggle to diagnose if a growth requires further examination by a dermatologist.

Enter DermaSensor, a noninvasive instrument using light and artificial intelligence to examine skin lesions and assess whether a patient should be referred to a specialist. It was recently cleared for US markets by the Food and Drug Administration, a crucial step toward widespread adoption of this potentially lifesaving device.

Irving J. Bigio, professor of biomedical engineering and electrical and computer engineering, developed and refined DermaSensor’s underlying technology: elastic scattering spectroscopy. He also serves as scientific advisor to the eponymous company behind the device, which licensed patents from Bigio and Boston University.

Bigio, who also holds positions in the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and College of Arts & Sciences, says DermaSensor’s clearance reflects well on the College of Engineering and on University culture too: “It’s a positive statement about BU’s commitment to interdisciplinary research that involves the engineering and physical sciences, as well as the medical school.”