Investigation of diagnostic methods for malignant melanoma
The Dermatology department was successful in being awarded a local research grant from Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust for a research fellow for three years to investigate diagnostic methods for malignant melanoma.
The research performed in collaboration with the Institute for Cancer Research demonstrated that three dimensional high-resolution ultrasound reflex transmission imaging improves the diagnostic accuracy for malignant melanoma. The work has now been submitted as an MD thesis to the University of London.
The prototype used for the imaging is now being further developed using microarray transducers to allow it to be of practical use in the pigmented skin lesions clinic. Translational research of this kind is needed to bring the benefits of academic research to the hospital clinic or GP surgery.
