Dr.Robert Nossa of the Dermatology Group on Pompton has been chosen to use a newly developed computer vision technology to screen patients for skin cancer.
The device, called MelaFind, is able to look beneath the surface of a patient’s skin to help dermatologists identify moles that could indicate the presence of melanoma. The device was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its maker, Mela Sciences of Westchester County, picked Dr. Nossa to launch the device.
“We cannot stress enough the importance of detecting melanomas at their earliest, most curable stage,” said Dr. Nossa, a board-certified dermatologist who has conducted extensive research on melanoma and has published widely on melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers and medical technology.
At this time, the Dermatology Group is the only practice in the New York/New Jersey area offering MelaFind. “We see it as another tool in the arsenal in the fight against skin cancer,” said Dr. Nossa. “The more deeply we can see a potential lesion, the more informed decisions we can make as healthcare providers. This treatment has no downside, and would be highly beneficial for anyone with a history of melanoma or someone who is prone to atypical lesions.”
While the procedure is not now covered by insurance, the Dermatology Group says the out-of-pocket expense for the MelaFind exam is $200. (Office visit and other exam costs may be extra). The practice says the exam is painless, takes about 10 minutes, and can provide detailed information for up to five moles per session.
