Primary Care Assessment of Suspicious Skin Lesions: A Dermatologist Highlights DermaSensor

The first health care professional to examine a skin lesion that appears suspicious to a patient is most frequently the primary care clinician. Whether the lesion is of greater concern than a normal dermatologic variation or perhaps an age-related change will be the frontline clinician's next assessment, followed by a decision to watch or to make a referral to a specialist.

In an interview with Patient Care® dermatologist Rebecca Hartman, MD, MPH, described DermaSensor, a new FDA-approved handheld, AI-based device designed to scan and assess skin lesions in the primary care clinical setting. The device returns 1 of 2 responses following a scan: “Investigate Further,” indicating a referral, or “Monitor,” an outcome which could help rule out a majority of unnecessary referrals for benign lesions.

In the short video above, Hartman describes the device technology and highlights its sensitivity and specificity when used in primary care.

Rebecca Hartman, MD, MPH, is assistant professor of dermatology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School and associate chief of the dermatology section at the VA Boston Healthcare System, in Boston, MA. Hartman's clinical practice is focused on melanoma and general dermatology while her research interests are in skin cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.