14 Apr JAMA Dermatology: Autonomous Imaging System Can Deliver Reliable Total Body and Dermatoscopic Images for Skin Cancer Screening

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Dr. Gibert

Pau Rosés-Gibert, MD
Dermatology Department, Hospital Clínic Barcelona
University of Barcelona,
Fundació Clínic per la recerca biomédica, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica August Pi i Sunyer, IDIBAPS
Diagnosis Dermatologica,
Dermavision Solutions
Barcelona, Spain and
Dermatology Department, Hospital de Figueres, Figueres, Spain

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: Skin cancer monitoring, particularly in high-risk patients with atypical mole syndrome, traditionally relies on total body photography (TBP) combined with digital dermoscopy. This approach, though effective, is slow, labor-intensive, and prone to oversight since clinicians must manually locate and image individual lesions. Recent improvements in automated imaging systems, lighting, and dermoscopy software have raised the potential for fully autonomous systems to streamline this process — leading to the development of the autonomous total body photographic and dermoscopic device tested in this study.

MedicalResearch.com: Would you describe the technology?

Response: The technology is an autonomous medical imaging cabin equipped with:

• Standardized lighting
• A main TBP camera
• A non-contact, high-resolution dermoscopy camera
• Software for lesion detection, size/location tracking, and diagnostic image quality control
• A patient-positioning system and guided video instructions

It automatically scans the entire body, identifies lesions over 3 mm, and takes dermoscopic images — without a clinician operating the device during imaging. In terms of use, it’s designed for easy patient operation with guided instructions and minimal staff intervention.

MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?

• The autonomous device produced images of non-inferior, high diagnostic quality compared to manual dermoscopy, with average quality scores of 9.84 vs 9.44 out of 10.
• Diagnostic agreement between the autonomous and manual methods was 91.6%.
• Imaging times were slightly shorter on average with the autonomous device (570 seconds vs 606 seconds), with significant time savings in patients with >40 lesions.
• It demonstrated excellent image focus (99% in-focus rate) and consistent quality across different body areas.
• The system may help optimize workflow and efficiency in high-volume clinical settings. 

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: This study suggests that autonomous imaging systems can deliver clinical-grade dermoscopic and TBP images while reducing the time burden associated with traditional methods — especially valuable in high-risk populations where numerous lesions require routine monitoring. This technology holds promise for enhancing dermatology workflows, increasing diagnostic consistency, and potentially integrating with AI and teledermatology tools in the future.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a results of this study?

• Test the device in larger, more diverse cohorts — especially including more malignant lesions (only 2% in this study) and phototypes V and VI, which weren’t represented.
• Investigate whether clinicians would capture different lesions manually than those automatically selected.
• Integrate AI-based lesion analysis and triage capabilities for real-time risk stratification.
• Evaluate its impact in teledermatology and remote care settings to assess its potential in improving access to dermatologic services.

Citation: Rosés-Gibert P, Heras C, Ricart N, et al. Standard Dermatoscope Images vs an Autonomous Total Body Photography and Dermoscopic Imaging Device. JAMA Dermatol. Published online April 09, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2025.0565

More information:

• Dermatoscopy- NIH

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Last Updated on April 14, 2025 by Marie Benz MD FAAD