MELA Sciences, Inc. reported that MelaFind, an FDA approved non-invasive optical device that assists dermatologists in the diagnosis of melanoma, received positive dermatologist feedback from its second Clinical Advisory Meeting held in conjunction with the 16th Annual Mount Sinai Winter Dermatology Symposium last week.

The Clinical Advisory Meeting featuring 10 leading dermatologists, specializing in melanoma and pigmented skin lesions, who participated in a roundtable discussion about MelaFind, which was moderated by Dr. Gary Goldenberg. He and Dr. Julie Russak led the meeting with presentations regarding their MelaFind experiences. Dr. Goldenberg has been using MelaFind in clinical practice for over a year and Dr. Russak has incorporated MelaFind evaluations into the patient care workflow at her Manhattan dermatology practice, Russak Dermatology Clinic.

Dr. Goldenberg, Assistant Professor, Dermatology and Pathology, and Medical Director of the Dermatology Faculty Practice at Mount Sinai commented, "MelaFind has proven to be a valuable adjunct for me in the process of making a melanoma diagnosis. Medically, you are doing more for patients in using MelaFind because the added information it provides puts the physician in a more informed position than we were in without the device. Importantly, most patients are relieved when you use MelaFind as part of their exam because it helps us explain our decisions to biopsy a lesion or not." He added, "Beyond patient care, I believe MelaFind can also be useful to dermatopathologists. Images and data from the device may prove valuable in guiding their preparation and review of each tissue sample, as well as their ability to look deeper and at more levels in order to render a more accurate diagnosis."

Dr. Russak, a Volunteer Faculty in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, said, "When examining patients with many atypical moles, the information provided by MelaFind is a major help with my mole management decisions. It is also very useful in examining young women, a patient population that does not want scars on their body. The objective data that MelaFind provides 2.5 mm beneath the surface of the skin has revolutionized the way I perform patient skin exams."