DermSpectra — a startup firm specializing in the field of digital medical imaging systems — has announced a new OEM relationship with Japanese photography and optics Nikon Inc. Under terms of the collaboration, DermSpectra will integrate Nikon’s high-resolution D810 camera and NIKKOR optics with its state-of-the-art medical device, the DermSpectra Total Body Digital Skin Imaging System, creating a solution that will enable physicians to more efficiently monitor, digitally capture, and compare over time skin irregularities associated with various skin disorders such as skin cancers, eczema, lesions, psoriasis, and rashes). DermSpectra’s advanced medical technology combines patented high-resolution imaging with HIPPA-compliant secure storage, and real time viewing capabilities.
DermSpectra fills a critical need in the digital skin imaging (DSI) market for patients, dermatology and primary care practices, telemedicine centers, cosmetic and plastic surgeons, in clinical trials, and the health care community at large. The company notes that while more than 4.9 million skin cancer cases are treated annually in the U.S., and notwithstanding the Affordable Care Act’s focus on preventative care, few tools exist for augmenting standardized screening protocols for early skin cancer detection at the total body level.
Integrating the Nikon D810 camera allows the DermSpectra to provide precision digital skin imaging captured through Nikon’s state-of-the-art Nikkor optics for maximum image clarity.
Designed for use by patients, dermatology and primary care practices, telemedicine centers, cosmetic and plastic surgeons, DermSpectra is claimed to be first of its kind that provides automated, simple, accurate, precise imaging of body surfaces and easy application of viewing, recording, documenting and storing changes and abnormalities, filling a critical gap in the digital skin imaging (DSI) market. Despite more than 4.9 million skin cancer cases treated annually in the U.S. and the Affordable Care Act’s focus on preventative care, few tools are available to augment standardized screening for early detection of skin cancer at the total body level.
The D810’s 36.3-megapixel FX-format full-frame CMOS image sensor with no optical low-pass filter (OLPF) is paired with Nikon’s EXPEED 4 image processing to enhance detail retention from snow white to pitch black, yielding noise-free images from ISO 64 to ISO 12,800. This extraordinarily wide dynamic range results in well-saturated skin tones, while the precision of NIKKOR lens optics provide high-quality rendering even at the D810’s dense pixel counts for input to the DermSpectra application.
The D810’s Multi-CAM 3500FX AF sensor uses 51 focus points, including 15 cross-type sensors, 11 of which work all the way to f/8, plus a new Group Area AF. Internal vibration has been nearly eliminated with a newly-designed sequencer mechanism and NIkon’s Electronic Front Curtain Shutter system. Focus can be quickly spot-checked by zooming to 46x on the 3.2-inch 1,229k-dot scratch- and shock-resistant TFT LCD display display with RGBW alignment.
The camera’s deeper grip aids in stable handling, even for users with small hands, while the viewfinder provides 100 percent frame coverage, 0.7x magnification and a high contrast organic EL information display. The LCD display has wide viewing angles and enhanced visibility in brightly lit environments. Color can be calibrated to match an external monitor, and a split-screen feature facilitates monitoring of two different points side-by-side to ensure proper leveling or focus.
The D810’s magnesium alloy housing provides sealing against moisture and dust sealing, and its shutter has been tested to 200,000 cycles.
“DermSpectra’s advanced technology coupled with the Nikon D810 camera provides one of the highest resolution digital skin imaging solutions on the market today, and we are proud to work with products from Nikon, a world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology,” says DermSpectra co-founder and chief executive officer Karleen G. Seybold.
“We are excited about DermSpectra expanding the limits of what’s possible with imaging-based application by integrating our super high resolution D810 into its total body digital skin imaging system. This should be a great benefit to medical professionals and patients for early skin cancer screening and detection,” affirms Masahiro Horie, Director of Marketing and Planning for Nikon Inc.
DermSpectra enables in-office, private, convenient, short imaging sessions (8-10 minutes) for patients during which their physician can scrutinize the latest digital images (on desktop or iPad), annotate comments and notes directly to the image, and securely store them on a HIPPA-compliant server database. With DermSpectra, physicians can complete the physical exam, assessment, and provide the patient with a care plan during a single office visit, helping minimize post-appointment documentation.
Digital images captured using DermSpectra can be annotated using simple touchscreen gestures that enable physicians to zoom in on lesions, add notes, circles to highlight abnormalities or changes, add notes directly on the image, and attach the report to the patient’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR), representing another advance toward transitioning the dermatological assessment field of into an “image centric or telemedicine” based modality. DermSpectra’s business development initiative works with health care providers including private practices, imaging centers, hospitals, residency programs, telemedicine centers and clinical trial sites to customize seamless documentation and archiving systems.
DermSpectra board member Vice Admiral Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS who was the 17th U.S. Surgeon General (2002-2006) comments in a DermSpectra release that: “Capturing digital skin images and tracking them year-over-year will aid in the early detection and management of skin diseases and cancers such as melanoma. DermSpectra is focused on early skin cancer detection with the goal that every person should have a total body digital skin image in their medical record.”
The DermSpectra Total Body Digital Skin Imaging System can be purchased directly, leased monthly, or offered through a price-per-scan model. The DermSpectra on display and demonstrated at the AAD 73rd Annual Meeting in San Francisco, March 20-24, 2015 Booth #7118.
Nikon Inc.’s parent company Nikon Corporation has for more than half a century been a world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo imaging technology and widely recognized for its product design and the performance of its consumer and professional photographic equipment.
Tucson, Arizona-based DermSpectra is a medical device company co-founded by principals Karleen Seybold — a former senior engineering manager at Raytheon, and Dr. Clara Curiel, a dermatologist, researcher, and skin cancer and pigmented lesion expert at the University of Arizona. The firm’s DermSpectra Total Body Digital Skin Imaging System is a proprietary solution for delivering patented high-resolution digital skin imaging, secure storage, and immediate viewing capabilities for physicians and clinicians in the dermatology field.
Sources:
DermSpectra
Nikon inc.
Image Credits:
DermSpectra
Nikon inc.
United States Department of Health and Human Services
