Grant: Operating Grant - PA: Musculoskeletal Health, Arthritis, Skin and Oral Health

Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer. All three major forms of skin cancer (i.e., malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) have increased steadily and rapidly in the last four decades, and become major health problems in Canada and the western world. Diagnosing malignant melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, is difficult because many benign skin lesions such as moles and seborrheic keratoses resemble melanoma. The reported sensitivity for clinical diagnosis ranges from 80% among trained dermatologists to approximately 40% among others. Another challenge is minimizing the number of benign lesions that are excised. As shown in a study of primary care providers, over 80% of skin biopsies performed by non-dermatologists were benign. Automatic instrumental techniques based on objective measurements may improve the accuracy of subjective clinical assessments. The goal of this project is to develop a novel in-vivo laser speckle technique for skin evaluation and diagnosis. Our work will focus on the differentiating malignant melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer and other common skin conditions. The laser speckle method is a promising, non-invasive and non-contract technique in biomedical optics. A shimmering pattern is formed when a laser beam is reflected by an object such as skin. In this project, we propose to study the pattern in order to quantify skin surface roughness and skin optical properties, which can then be used in a diagnostic process. During the project, we will develop theories, perform numerical calculations and use computer simulations to create a framework of a speckle imaging device for skin evaluation and diagnosis. In addition, we will construct a prototype and test it in a clinical setting.