Latvian researchers develop device for early diagnosis of skin melanoma

Researchers at the University of Latvia and Riga Technical University, supported by EU funds, are developing a device for early diagnosis of skin melanoma and other cancers, post-operative scar monitoring and early detection of tumour recurrence. Its small size and lightweight design will make it easy to use in doctors’ offices.

The prototype device and the cloud computing service have been clinically tested on various malignant and benign skin lesions at the Latvian Oncology Centre and in physicians’ practices. Such a device could significantly improve access to early diagnosis and post-operative follow-up of skin cancer, increasing people’s life expectancy and quality of life. The project research team consisted of experienced experts in biophotonics, electronics, and oncology, as well as young scientists from the University of Latvia and Riga Technical University.

The aim of the project was to develop and clinically validate a new type of portable device and cloud computing service for early diagnosis of skin melanoma and other cancers, post-operative scar monitoring, and early detection of tumour recurrence. The device acquires spectral and fluorescence images. The results are transmitted wirelessly via a mobile network and the images are processed in a cloud computing service. Diagnostic results can be accessed remotely. For non-contact skin diagnostics, diffuse reflectance and fluorescence photo-bleaching methods are combined to image parameters under specific skin illumination.

Dr.phys. Ilze Ļihačova is the lead researcher at the Biophotonics Laboratory of the Institute of Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy at the University of Latvia. In 2022, she received the L’Oréal and UNESCO Women in Science Award, wrote Labs of Latvia. Ļihačova received the award for two research areas in the field of medical physics for further development. The most long-standing of these concerns the non-invasive diagnosis of skin diseases, mainly melanoma, using multispectral imaging techniques. The diagnostic criteria developed and the processing of artificial neural networks have been combined in a diagnostic device that allows healthcare professionals, regardless of their experience in dermatology, to detect and treat cutaneous melanoma early, significantly increasing the patient’s life expectancy. The technique is now also being adapted for the early identification of patients with rare diseases. Her latest research focuses on the development of laser speckle imaging technology to assess antimicrobial resistance more quickly and to match critically ill patients with the necessary drugs to increase their chances of survival. This technology will lead to faster, more effective treatment and reduce the emergence of new, more resistant bacteria.

Source: Press release (labsoflatvia.com).
Dr.phys. Ilze Ļihačova, lead researcher at the Biophotonics Laboratory, Institute of Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy, University of Latvia, and a recipient of the L’Oréal and UNESCO Women in Science Award 2022
Photo: Jānis Deinats