Virtual Biopsy Device Detects Skin Tumors

Using sound vibrations and pulses of near-infrared light, a new “virtual biopsy” device can quickly determine a skin lesion's depth and potential malignancy without using a scalpel. The first-of-its-kind experimental procedure, called vibrational optical coherence tomography (VOCT), creates a 3D map of the legion's width and depth under the skin with a tiny laser diode. It also uses soundwaves to test the lesion's density and stiffness since cancer cells are stiffer than healthy cells. An inch-long speaker applies audible soundwaves against the skin to measure the skin's vibrations and determine whether the lesion is malignant.