The State of AI-Enabled Skin Cancer Diagnostics: Why Are There Two Spectroscopy Devices Available Yet No Imaging Devices?

Journal: Clinics in dermatology
Published Date: May 7, 2025

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already impacting the way we diagnose skin diseases. Even though there are many new AI tools touted to be helpful to dermatologists and primary care physicians, especially in the recognition of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, there is a major hurdle that the sponsoring companies must overcome before it is possible to integrate any of these innovative artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled technologies into clinical practice. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s regulatory process is demanding and requires proof of safety and effectiveness for each of these devices before giving their approval. Herein we discuss the reasons why there are hundreds of papers applying AI to imaging in dermatology, but the only available FDA-approved AI dermatology tools use spectroscopy.

Authors

  • Jay Gopal
    The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
  • Albert E Zhou
    Dermatology Department, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
  • Ashfaq A Marghoob
    Memorial Sloan Kettering Skin Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
  • Christian Gronbeck
    Dermatology Department, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
  • Jane M Grant-Kels
    Department of Dermatology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut.

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