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By mid-March 2025, Dr. Robert Bard and his clinical imaging team conducted a test-drive evaluation of the Dermus SkinScanner, a dual-modality concept developed in Budapest, Hungary. The handheld unit integrates high-frequency ultrasound, operating in the 20–40 MHz range, with a 12×12 mm dermoscopic optical field. The device is designed to visualize surface features alongside subsurface structures at depths of up to approximately 10 mm. In this initial demonstration, Dr. Bard’s team viewed the system not simply as a new piece of equipment, but as a potentially forward-leaning concept in portable dermatologic imaging that offered a visionary approach to point of care imaging.
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY SUMMARY OF DEMO-BASED IMPRESSIONS OF A DUAL-MODALITY CONCEPT
By: HealthTechReporter.com
Scope and Intent of This Report
This document consolidates cautious, observation-based impressions of a dual-modality dermatologic concept frequently referred to as the Dermus SkinScanner. The concept, as presented in a limited demonstration, aims to align surface dermoscopy with subsurface high-frequency ultrasound in a single handheld format. The intention, according to the training and materials provided at the demo, is to help clinicians correlate topographic patterns at the skin surface with internal structure and echogenic patterns beneath it. The reviewers—Dr. Robert L. Bard, Dr. Abdel Zerzif, and Dr. Leslie Valle-Montoya—commented strictly on the idea and design intent as they experienced it during a short exposure, not on validated clinical performance.
Nothing in this report should be read as a product claim, superiority assertion, or diagnostic conclusion. All statements from the clinicians reflect observations and professional opinions formed during a demo; they are explicitly not endorsements, guarantees, or proof of clinical utility. Where this document references potential relevance or hypothetical use-cases, such references are offered only to explain why the concept drew interest from the reviewers—not to suggest established outcomes.
Design Philosophy: Thoughtful Engineering for Real-World Needs
Moreover, the system’s reliance on a dedicated mobile unit ensures a consistent, distraction-free user experience. Clinicians are not interrupted by phone calls or app notifications mid-scan, allowing them to remain fully focused on the patient.
The concept centers on comparative visualization: a dermoscopy view of the surface positioned in a consistent relationship with a subdermal ultrasound cross-section. The demo highlighted an optical field of approximately 12×12 mm coupled with a 20–40 MHz ultrasound band intended for superficial tissue imaging to an approximate depth around 10 mm.
According to the training conducted by Dr. Gergely Csány, the concept is designed to support reproducible positioning, cloud-based review, and distributed collaboration. The software architecture was described as enabling capture at the bedside with later review on larger screens, potentially supporting consultation between different locations. The reviewers understood these elements as design intentions and not assurances of clinical advantage.
Section I
OBSERVATIONAL
IMPRESSIONS FROM A SONOLOGIST’S LENS
By: Dr. Robert L. Bard
“Dermatology often emphasizes the surface, while radiology examines the layers underneath. In my view, the concept behind this device seems aimed at bringing those vantage points closer together!,” Dr. Bard noted.
Regarding patient communication, Dr. Bard observed that co-viewing a magnified surface image next to a subsurface ultrasound frame may make it easier to explain why a lesion is being monitored or why a follow-up is suggested. He emphasized that such an effect is about communication and context, not about diagnostic certainty: “When patients see a surface picture beside a corresponding ultrasound slice, they may better understand what we’re watching and why. That clarity can be helpful in discussion.... this is an advantage to imaging not seen anywhere else!”
On the topic of Doppler, which was described at an early, research-oriented stage, he stated that vascular information can be informative in general imaging practice and that the feature’s technical maturation and clinical evaluation would be necessary before forming conclusions. For this reason, Dr. Bard supports the inclusion and performance of Doppler blood flow imaging in this model as part of routine use.
Finally, from a sonologist’s standpoint, Dr. Bard supports the design concept of the Dermus in a single session that might maintain continuity between surface clues and subdermal context. “In my view, the repeatability and real-time nature of ultrasound may support closer monitoring... the movement to ‘go digital’ also brings significant advantages between clinicians in different locations by allowing them to share patient scans and test images in real time.”
Dr. Bard's Objectives: Inflammation, Scars, and Foreign Bodies
Beyond oncology, Bard sees powerful value in inflammatory and traumatic conditions. He routinely evaluates:
He describes one of his early test cases where a benign-appearing scar revealed deep-layer fibrosis and edema that would have otherwise gone untreated: “On the surface, it was flat. Classic scar. But the ultrasound layer showed a trapped pocket of inflammatory fluid strangling the microvasculature. Because we saw it, we treated it. That’s the kind of win patients will never forget.”
A Tool That Elevates Patient Education
Dr. Bard is also vocal about what he calls “visual medicine for the modern patient.” Today’s patients do not respond to vague explanations—they respond to clarity. “A patient will never forget the moment you show them their own cancer forming, or their own tissue healing. When they see it with their own eyes, compliance becomes a partnership instead of a persuasion.” The dual-display feature, he says, gives patients context—the single most underrated element in patient communication.
Why Dr. Bard Believes This Device Matters
Dr. Bard identified several strategic aspects of the SkinScanner concept that, in his view, illustrate its potential value in dermatologic imaging. He noted its emphasis on continuity, observing that the design is intended to minimize disruption between surface and subsurface evaluation. He also cited reproducibility as a strength, as its alignment features appeared to support consistent follow-up imaging over time. The system’s portability, allowing the scanner to be brought directly to the patient, was viewed as a practical advantage for workflow efficiency. Dr. Bard further remarked on the concept’s focus on transparency, suggesting that when patients can observe the imaging process, they may better understand and feel more at ease with their care. Finally, he described early detection as a guiding principle behind this type of technology—an approach that aims to make smaller, earlier tissue changes more readily observable for study and discussion.
He summarizes it this way: “This device is not replacing ultrasound. It is not replacing dermoscopy. It is making both smarter, and bringing them directly to the front lines. That is why I believe in it.”
Looking Ahead
Dr. Bard is especially interested in the SkinScanner’s future Doppler potential, particularly for inflammatory skin disease, tumor vascularity, and perfusion studies. In his view, structural imaging without vascular context is “a two-dimensional truth.” Add Doppler, and the disease’s behavior becomes visible—not just its shape.
Section II
DR. ABDEL ZERZIF ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL DERMATOLOGY CONTEXT
“In my experience, the more challenging exposure cases do not always reveal their full extent on the surface. The dual-layer concept—surface and subsurface side-by-side... shows to address this problem,”.
He outlined common diagnostic pitfalls that, in his view, the dual-view approach might help contextualize:
• Benign-appearing rashes with significant deeper activity: Without subsurface context, such cases may be underestimated. A paired view could help visualize edema patterns or fibrotic changes under apparently stable surfaces.
• Chronic contact dermatitis: Some cases appear to quiet at the epidermis while deeper tissue remains involved; a subsurface image may help illustrate persistence or distribution.
• Granulomatous reactions: These are sometimes visually subtle and temporally variable; cross-sectional imaging might offer an impression of depth and density to guide discussion.
He added that portability is relevant in regions where imaging infrastructure is scarce and travel is costly or impractical. From a public-health perspective, a handheld, dual-modality concept that is intended to move between settings could support same-visit documentation and longitudinal comparisons. He repeatedly clarified that these points are hypothetical advantages and do not constitute clinical claims.
Zerzif also touched on the psychological dimension of exposure dermatology. Patients experiencing chronic symptoms with minimal surface findings often feel dismissed. He stated that even a non-conclusive subsurface visualization used for explanation may help patients feel that their concerns are being approached methodically. In his words: “When I can show a patient how we are framing both what we see and what might be occurring underneath, it sometimes improves the conversation. That is an advantage in communication of what supports diagnostic care in real time!”
For follow-up, Dr. Zerzif viewed cloud archiving and repeatable positioning as administratively useful features that, if implemented carefully, could support time-based documentation—especially in longer courses of contact dermatitis or scarring patterns.
Section III
“In emergency work we frequently treated what we could see. The deeper story was typically unavailable at the bedside,” she said. “The dual-view concept interests me because it might offer a structured way to present surface and subsurface context together...”
Valle-Montoya also focused on distributed care. During the demo, she tested cloud sharing and described it as a potential mechanism for outside review in geographies without on-site subspecialists. She framed this as workflow curiosity—a way to move images for a timely opinion when a specialty clinic is not immediately available.
Section IV
TRAINING,
HANDLING, AND PRACTICAL NOTES (as Demonstrated)
All four points were received by reviewers as practical design intentions. The reviewers stated that the value of these choices would depend on operator technique, case selection, environment, and future evaluation.
Section V
HYPOTHETICAL USE-CASE FRAMES
To clarify why the concept drew significant attention to the Bard team, the reviewers offered frames that called for exploration in formal studies.
1. Melanoma surveillance context: A side-by-side surface and subsurface view might help an examiner return to the same region for visual comparison, including discussion with the patient about stable vs. changing patterns. Any clinical conclusions would require separate, rigorous validation.
2. Inflammatory dermatoses: In chronic cases where the epidermis appears quiet while the patient reports symptoms, a subsurface image could offer discussion material around edema distribution or fibrotic elements—again, purely as context, not as proof.
3. Scar and fibrosis monitoring: A reproducible cross-section might support conversations about remodeling over time. This is an informational use-frame rather than a diagnostic claim.
4. Occupational and exposure follow-up: For firefighters or industrial workers, an archive of serial images could help track a complaint over months, especially in administrative or occupational-health settings where documentation is important. Whether this changes outcomes is undetermined and outside the scope of the demo.
Section VI
AREAS OF INTEREST
The reviewers collectively described several areas of interest that might warrant study:
• Position reproducibility and inter-operator consistency
• Image quality management across different skin types and anatomical sites
• Integration protocols for clinics that already separate dermoscopy and ultrasound
• Training pathways to support safe and consistent use
• Data handling for cloud review, including privacy and consent workflows
Patient Communication and Ethical Framing
All three reviewers commented that a paired view (surface alongside subsurface) may promote clearer communication. Patients often want to know why something is being observed rather than immediately removed, or why a follow-up is scheduled. In such conversations, a dual view could help set expectations and reduce speculation. At the same time, the reviewers emphasized that any such use should be accompanied by transparent disclaimers: the image is a visual tool and not proof of diagnosis.
The ethical framing suggested by the reviewers is straightforward: present what was observed in the demo as observation, outline what is not known, and avoid making promissory statements. In any written or verbal explanation, it may be helpful to explicitly state that this approach is concept-driven and under active evaluation, not a settled standard.
Final Statements:
• "SkinScanner—a groundbreaking concept innovating what could be the next-gen of portable imaging."
• "...this portable, handheld device offers high-resolution ultrasound imaging to the realm of evidence-based skin treatments,"
• "From the outset, this device captured my attention—not merely as a piece of hardware, but as a conceptual leap forward for diagnostic imaging."
• "In our diagnostic center—equipped with hospital-grade ultrasound systems—the freedom to move the scanner from room to room has reduced workflow disruptions, particularly during multi-technology exams involving ultrasound and thermography. Instead of transporting patients between stations, we bring the technology to them, preserving continuity and minimizing discomfort."
Conclusion
In summary, the HealthTech Review team expressed optimism about the dual-modality concept, noting that its design appears thoughtfully oriented toward unifying surface and subsurface visualization within a single session. The combination of portability, side-by-side comparative viewing, controller-powered mobility, and cloud-based review was seen as a forward-thinking approach that may help streamline communication, support positioning consistency, and encourage collaboration across locations. While their impressions were based on a limited demonstration rather than clinical performance, the group viewed the concept as a meaningful and inspiring direction for continued development in imaging-assisted dermatology.
Disclaimer: No statement in this report should be interpreted as a claim of diagnostic capability, a guarantee of outcomes, or a prediction about clinical impact. Any real-world role the concept may eventually play will depend on responsible testing, formal validation, operator training, and case-appropriate use.
