Detect skin cancer even better

Melanoma skin cancer, one of the most dangerous cancer types, is also one of the most common cancer types in Germany. Incidence numbers worldwide are continuously increasing during the last decades. The precise diagnosis depends strongly on the experience of the examining physician. In future, in order to improve skin cancer detection eight partners from medicine and technology in Lower Saxony develop a digital dermoscope system based on optical principles. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics. The device to be developed aims to assist physicians in the automated whole-body skin cancer screening and accurate diagnosis. The project partners are: Leibniz University of Hannover, University Medical Center Göttingen, Hannover Medical University, Hannover University Of Applied Sciences and Arts, and the Lüneburg companies Lüllau Engineering GmbH, tpm taberna pro medicum GmbH and Basys GmbH.

The Hannover Center for Optical Technologies (HOT) at the Leibniz University Hannover develops the optical imaging system for skin cancer screening. The new scanning dermoscope can examine the patient's body automatically by taking micrographs in non-contact mode from a distance of about half a meter to the patient. The new system already enables color pictures in HD resolution mode without motion artifacts. It uses polarized light to suppress light reflection from the skin surface. Currently, the researchers are working towards sufficient depth of field of the system on curved surfaces, for example on patient's feet. This feature will represent an advantage compared to conventional contact systems.

The Institute of Applied Computer Science at the Leibniz University is responsible for the visual recognition of suspicious pigmented lesions. For example, it is possible to virtually remove hairs that prevent exact analysis of the images lesion. Based on the precise contour detection of lesions, achieved by using reliable algorithms, the doctors will be able to better identify malignant lesions. The HOT develops the optical imaging system which will be integrated into the automated scanning device.