Thermography as a Diagnostic Tool in Melanoma

Presenter

Melinda Seto

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Steven D. Brewer, Department of Biology, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 4, 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C10, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 1 (C1-C10) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. The three most commonly diagnosed types are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Basal and squamous cell carcinoma develop in the epidermis, or the top layer of the skin, and are highly treatable if detected early. Melanoma, a malignant form of skin cancer that develops deeper in the skin, is frequently fatal if not detected early. The vast majority of skin cancer deaths are due to melanoma, which provided the motivation for my project. Traditional diagnostic methods such as biopsy and imaging tests are invasive and increase exposure to radiation. Thermography is a non-invasive approach that captures images based on the amount of heat emitted from the skin. My project aimed to develop a device that captured thermographic images of the skin in order to compare the temperatures of normal and abnormal skin lesions. My device was tested on a range of individuals with varying types of skin lesions. My findings documented the normal variation of healthy skin as distinct from patterns of abnormal skin. These results highlight the importance of early detection tools in the prevention and treatment of skin cancer, specifically melanoma.

Keywords

Thermography, Melanoma, Skin cancer detection

Research Area

Disease Detection, Prevention & Treatment

SIMILAR ABSTRACTS (BY KEYWORD)