Imagine adding an objective “second set of eyes” to a suspicious spot in seconds. DermaSensor is an FDA-cleared, handheld device that uses optical spectroscopy and AI to analyze lesion microstructure and return a simple risk assessment at the point of care. It’s designed to help clinicians decide which lesions need urgent specialist evaluation versus routine follow-up. While it does not diagnose cancer, it supports smarter referral decisions and earlier detection. In pivotal data reviewed at clearance, overall sensitivity for detecting the three most common skin cancers (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma) was reported at 96%, with the highest sensitivity for BCC/SCC and lower for melanoma, reflecting the real-world challenge of that tumor type.

How It Works: The device performs elastic scattering spectroscopy (ESS), a light-based read of cellular-level changes, capturing multiple spectral snapshots of a lesion and feeding them to an AI model trained on pathology-confirmed cases. The result arrives in seconds, giving clinicians immediate, objective input alongside the standard visual exam.

Important Usage Details: DermaSensor’s current indication is to assist physicians (especially in primary care) with the referral decision for lesions suggestive of melanoma, BCC, or SCC, for patients aged 40 and older. It should be used with the total clinical picture and is not a screening tool or a stand-alone diagnostic. In clinical studies, using the device cut primary-care false-negative referrals roughly in half, a meaningful improvement for patient safety and timely specialty care.