A device small enough to fit in your pocket could diagnose skin cancer in less than a minute, London’s Daily Mail reported Wednesday.
This is how the device works: New blood vessels develop when a new tumor does (the tumor needs blood for nourishment). Since blood can absorb light of a specific wavelength, the gadget measures how much light is absorbed compared to healthy tissue.
The device costs about $769.
So far, the device has properly identified 11 malignant melanomas during tests on patients at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The device was developed by Norwegian company Balter Medical and could be available to the public within two years.
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