Atopic dermatitis (AD) commonly occurs in children and can progress into severe phenotypes or atopic march, causing significant impairment in quality of life. Atopic dermatitis skin lesions and the lesions produced by infectious complications of the disease look so similar that it makes it impossible for patients to spot the difference and know when to visit their doctor for treatment. Recognizing whether AD has led to any of these complications can be challenging for patients as the symptoms’ appearance on the skin is very similar to AD itself. Moreover, mycosis fungoides, a type of blood cancer that causes skin lesions, can also exhibit similar symptoms to AD and may co-exist with AD. Some medications for AD can even worsen infections or mycosis fungoides.

An AI-powered mobile app developed by dermatologists now puts the power of diagnosis in the hands of patients.

The AI model is detailed in a paper published in the Journal of Dermatological Science on January 11, 2023.

The team trained their convolutional neural network (CNN) model on non-standard images of AD, impetigo, mycosis fungoides, herpes simplex, and Kaposi varicelliform eruption. They then compared the AI’s diagnosis accuracy to a set of non-standard images manually cropped and diagnostically annotated by dermatologists. They found that their system achieved a diagnostic accuracy almost equal to the manually assessed image set.

The team is currently developing an AI-powered smartphone app to translate their system, enabling patients to manage their skin diseases remotely with just their phone’s camera. They are also experimenting with AD patients to improve the app’s usability.

Researchers believe that this technology will help patients with skin diseases to manage their conditions effectively and efficiently, resulting in better health outcomes.