Skin cancer can affect anyone and approximately 4% of all cancer patients in Austria suffer from skin melanoma. Over 1,600 new cases were diagnosed in 2020. Early detection is the key to survival.
Dermatologist Prof. Dr. Wolfram Hötzenecker (JKU Faculty of Medicine and head of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology at the Kepler University Hospital) stated: “In this regard, we recommend regularly scheduled annual skin cancer screenings to examine moles.” The examination, however, can be time-consuming as doctors have to use a digital magnifying glass to examine every single mole.
The good news is that the Kepler University Hospital will be able to perform the examination faster and more accurately. As part of a project, the hospital has acquired a digital 3D system able to capture the skin’s entire surface are in just one image: the Vectra WB360 device. Equipped with 50 high-resolution cameras, the device can process the information in macro resolution. Prof. Hötzenecker added: “In no time at all, we have image documentation of all of the patient’s pigmentation marks.” In just five minutes, Vectra can generate an AI-assisted preliminary analysis and map out all moles and lesions. Physicians can then detect any suspicious moles and lesions and track changes over time.
As a location of higher education, Linz will have the first Vectra WB360 device here in Upper Austria by February 2025.
